QSTP-funded startup sets new standards in airport operations

A startup supported by Qatar Science and Technology Park’s (QSTP) Product Development Fund (PDF) for the development of its technology is setting new standards in airport operations.After getting initial support from QSTP, EMMA Systems, an AI-powered Airport Management Systems provider, later received seed investment from the Tech Venture Fund (TVF) to continue its commercial efforts. EMMA Systems works with aviation stakeholders to increase the efficiency and sustainability of their operations by optimising aircraft turnaround processes and by reducing delays and fuel wastage. Streamlined operations contribute to passengers’ priorities, such as on-time arrival and departure of aircraft, swift check-in process, and smooth navigation to the gates, or to the baggage reclaim area. With the aviation industry gradually emerging from the deep sleep imposed by the pandemic and the ongoing shifts in regulations, airports are looking more than ever for more efficient operations to result in enhanced convenience and safety for passengers. Adaptable to each airport’s unique operating procedures, EMMA or ‘Environmental & Movement Monitoring for Airports’ Systems created a new standard for internal airport system communication. Its centralised cloud-based dashboard visualises live data providing a secure and centralized view of the entire airport’s operations – resulting in safer, more efficient, and more integrated operations. Wisam Costandi, CEO and co-founder, said: “We deployed the first version of EMMA at Qatar’s Hamad International Airport, later crowned the ‘Best Airport in the World’ by Skytrax in 2021, which boosted our recognition in the industry.”“Qatar is a springboard for startups. It’s a small country with large, world-class projects and startup-friendly programmes. Once QSTP invested in us, they became part of EMMA. They didn’t ask ‘How are you doing?’ but rather ‘How are we doing?’. “It was important to have an institutional ally to help us navigate the startup ecosystem and the entrepreneurial journey at each stage. The Tech Venture Fund essentially allowed us to double down on commercial outreach, and to invest in sales and marketing,” said Costandi. Since then, the company has grown significantly and its pipeline has expanded across the globe. Having successfully navigated the challenges of working through the pandemic, the startup has secured deployment in Brussels South Charleroi Airport (BSCA) and its network is soon set to expand even more. “Another 25 global airports are in the pipeline for us. We saw things come to a halt given the pandemic’s impact on aviation, and we were disheartened. However, air traffic is gradually returning back to normal and we have witnessed a renewed interest in solutions that can help improve airport efficiency and sustainability,” said Costandi.Like EMMA Systems, promising entrepreneurs and innovative startups find their seed-stage funding and follow-on capital with the QSTP Tech Venture Fund, a strategic venture capital fund designed to support Qatar’s burgeoning tech and innovation ecosystem that targets a growing regional and global market.