Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) awarded Wednesday its prestigious Product Development Fund (PDF) to six more Qatar-based startups.
Representatives from Applab Software Trading, Majoor Marketing & Delivery, Digital Pulse, Bayyena Trading, Twyla Technology, and Rawi Al Kotob attended an award ceremony at the QSTP premises.
QSTP executive director Yousef al-Salehi congratulated the awardees and acknowledged their efforts in addressing Qatar’s national priorities and challenges, accelerating economic diversification, and generating global impact.
QSTP Product Development and Grant Management Fund director Aysha al-Hamadi said, “At QSTP, we encourage all Qatari entrepreneurs to stay creative and focused on their ambitions and to seek the right support which is readily available via QF RDI’s ecosystem – an infrastructure built on the premise of supporting research, development, and innovation.
“Our PDF is specifically geared towards helping Qatar-based startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) develop their products. The latest awardees share our passion for technology and innovation that not only contributes to the rapid growth and development of our economy but truly improves people’s lives and delivers real impact.”
The six new awardees span a range of different industries including providing solutions for the healthcare, legal, charity, education, management system, and e-commerce sectors.
Applab Software Trading aims to develop its ‘software-as-a-service’ platform with the funding to assist charity and non-profit organisations manage their online and mobile donations, as well as providing a solution to manage physical collection points and kiosk machines.
Majoor Marketing & Delivery will utilise PDF to develop its all-in-one, integrated healthcare application to simplify the medicine procurement and delivery process. Booking lab tests and requesting a home service is a key differentiator of this service.
Digital Pulse designs mobile apps for the creative industry, and the team has received funding to further develop its Gooby platform - an online marketplace that connects talented and skilled freelancers to startups, SMEs, full-grown businesses, and even individuals.
Bayyena Trading, a legal technology company specialising in providing smart solutions for the legal community in the Arab region, is looking to build a legal news platform that will present complex, up-to-date content to keep practitioners and their clients informed.
Twyla Technology is a B2B provider of technology and audio-visual services that helps businesses to modernise their business operations, including a range of e-commerce, cybersecurity, and electronic medical recording solutions. Twyla is developing Qatar based online marketplace platform that enables buyers and sellers to do business via an e-commerce platform.
Rawi Al Kotob is an audio on-demand mobile application. It aims to provide to dynamic, active, and intellectually curious people in MENA and those living abroad access to modern and famous Arabic literature to support their lifelong learning.
Launched in 2016, the PDF is a cost-sharing fund wherein QSTP, part of Qatar Foundation Research, Development and Innovation (QF RDI), provides up to half of the total budget as a grant, to encourage local start-ups and SMEs in the private sector to develop products and services relevant to local market needs.
The fund promotes new hi-tech products and supports the commercialisation of market-ready technologies. To date, the PDF programme has awarded subsidy grants to more than 35 SMEs.
For more information and to apply for PDF, visit https://qstp.org.qa/product-development-fund/.