Qatar has announced the launch of its first venture builder studio dedicated to artificial intelligence, a major strategic move to bolster its technology and innovation ecosystem. The initiative, launched by Utopia with strategic support from Qatar Development Bank (QDB), aims to transform complex challenges in vital economic sectors across the Global South into scalable, high-growth companies.
The studio was unveiled on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress in Doha, marking a significant investment in Qatar’s deep tech landscape. It employs a novel venture-building model that merges capital with advanced operational expertise in AI, moving beyond traditional incubation and acceleration programs.
A New Model for Venture Building
The venture studio is designed to support non-traditional innovators—seasoned experts with extensive experience in high-growth sectors who often struggle to secure backing from conventional investment funds.
“The studio’s establishment is part of a long-term vision to build real companies, led by specialized experts capable of solving complex problems in fundamental sectors, not just launching traditional entrepreneurship programs,” said Fatima Ali Al-Khater, Partner at Utopia’s venture builder, which is also backed by the Qatar Investment Authority.
Al-Khater emphasized that the studio operates as a co-founding partner rather than an accelerator. “We collaborate with expert founders who have identified precise problems in sectors like infrastructure, energy, cybersecurity, and deep AI,” she explained. “We provide them with practical support that allows them to turn their expertise into scalable companies.”
Comprehensive Support Beyond Capital
Founders accepted into the studio will gain access to UTOPIA OS, a proprietary, standardized operating system for AI designed to accelerate product development, testing, and scaling. The platform aims to shorten the journey from concept to a seed funding round to less than 24 months.
The comprehensive support package includes seed capital from venture funds, a ready-to-use AI technology infrastructure, growth and marketing support, and access to emerging markets through Utopia’s networks in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Additionally, founders relocating to Qatar will be provided with office space, logistical services, and access to capital and government incentives through Qatar Development Bank.
“Our goal is to accelerate company building by providing founders with an integrated environment that allows them to focus on developing market-ready products instead of getting bogged down by operational hurdles,” Al-Khater added.
Targeting High-Impact Sectors
The studio will focus on specific domains with significant global economic opportunities, which it terms “Fieldwork PODs.” These target areas include:
- Digital infrastructure and data center maintenance
- New cloud technologies
- Energy and software solutions
- Cybersecurity and deep tech
- Advanced engineering, surgery, and chemistry
“We are looking for experts who have a precise understanding of their problems and do not need to learn the market from scratch,” said Al-Khater. “They are ready to turn challenges into investment opportunities.”
The studio is already working with its first cohort of entrepreneurs and aims to attract founders from Qatar, the wider Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa, and other emerging markets. The ambitious goal is to develop 140 project ideas and support over 50 startups through the pre-seed, seed, and pre-Series A stages within the next five years.
Fostering Qatar’s Innovation Ecosystem
This initiative is a clear signal of Qatar’s commitment to building a robust innovation ecosystem centered on artificial intelligence. According to Mohammed Al-Emadi, Executive Director of Business Incubators and Venture Investment at Qatar Development Bank, the studio embodies QDB’s strategy to build a diversified, innovation-driven economy.
Al-Emadi stated that the studio “enables talented local and international founders to transform complex challenges into scalable, AI-driven companies.” He added that the platform “adds a new and crucial dimension to Qatar’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and strengthens the country’s position as a leading technology hub in the region.”
About The AI Venture Builder Studio
Launched in Qatar by Utopia and backed by the Qatar Investment Authority and Qatar Development Bank, the AI Venture Builder Studio is the country’s first platform dedicated to creating and scaling artificial intelligence companies. It partners with experienced industry professionals to solve complex challenges in high-impact sectors across the Global South. The studio provides capital, proprietary technology, and operational support to build deep tech companies that are scalable globally from a base in Qatar.
Source: Al Jazeera
