Qatar Development Bank (QDB) has announced a landmark year for 2025, reporting significant growth across its core operations and underscoring its pivotal role in advancing Qatar’s private sector. The state-backed entity extended its support to over 2,000 companies, deploying QAR 2 billion in direct financing and committing over QAR 350 million in investments to strengthen the national business and innovation ecosystem.
A Surge in Financing and Investment
QDB’s financial commitments saw a 5% year-on-year increase, bringing its total financing portfolio to QAR 7.3 billion across more than 630 companies. The bank disbursed QAR 2 billion in direct capital in 2025, a 30% jump from the previous year. This capital infusion supported strategic sectors and nurtured the growth of local SMEs and entrepreneurs.
The bank’s investment arm also witnessed robust growth, with its portfolio increasing by 16% to exceed QAR 350 million in direct and indirect investment commitments. In 2025 alone, QDB invested in over 60 promising local and international startups, marking a 42% rise in deployed investments.
Commenting on the results, Mr. Abdulrahman bin Hesham Al-Sowaidi, CEO of Qatar Development Bank, said, “2025 marked the first year of the bank’s updated 2025–2030 strategy, developed in line with the Third National Development Strategy and the Third Financial Sector Strategic Plan. These results demonstrate growing demand and the increasing maturity of the private sector, which has assumed a central role in Qatar’s economic landscape.”
Launching Strategic Ecosystem Initiatives
Throughout the year, QDB launched several key initiatives to streamline support for businesses. This included the National Funding Gate (TAMKEEN), a unified platform for business financing applications, and a first-of-its-kind Mergers and Acquisitions Program.
The bank also enhanced its Startup Qatar Investment Program by increasing funding limits to QAR 4 million for early-stage companies and QAR 20 million for those in the expansion stage. The program attracted over 5,000 applications from 65 countries, resulting in investments of over QAR 138 million in more than 35 companies. Additionally, new programs like the FinTech Development Grant were introduced to spur innovation in specialized sectors.
Bolstering Global Exports and Trade
Through its export arm, Qatar Exports, QDB achieved remarkable results in promoting Qatari products on the global stage. The total value of exports supported by the bank reached QAR 2.85 billion, a 15% year-on-year increase. Beneficiary companies successfully entered 138 global markets, backed by QAR 778 million in export financing.
A significant milestone was the facilitation of matchmaking events that resulted in booked export orders exceeding QAR 7.5 billion, an exceptional 341% increase from the previous year. To further expand its reach, Qatar Exports also opened its first regional office in Saudi Arabia.
Forging Global Partnerships
QDB actively pursued global partnerships to attract top-tier accelerators and investment funds to Qatar. Key collaborations include establishing a startup development studio and joint investment fund with A-typical Ventures.
The bank also partnered with the New York-based Cure accelerator by Deerfield Management, a leading investment fund in health technology. The resulting Deerfield Middle East Health Accelerator aims to drive innovation in the health-tech sector by creating a collaborative bridge between New York and Doha, reinforcing Qatar’s position as an attractive regional hub for investment.
About Qatar Development Bank
Established in 1997, Qatar Development Bank is a government-affiliated development institution focused on strengthening Qatar’s private sector and driving economic diversification. Aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030, QDB’s strategy is built on three pillars: promoting innovation through investment in startups, developing local businesses with financial and advisory support, and enabling the export ecosystem to enhance the global competitiveness of Qatari products.
Source: Zawya
