The Qatar startup and venture ecosystem has leapt forward in the past few years and opportunities are aplenty as the country’s capital market is evolving quickly, according to a top official of Golden Gate Ventures.

Highlighting that it has a global outreach and showcased Qatar’s development to global investors and founders; Golden Gate Ventures’ partner Michael Lints said the feedback across the board is similar; “there are plentiful opportunities for startups to land here as the capital market is evolving quickly, and the support for quality companies from business development to fundraising is becoming widely available.”

The Qatar startup and venture ecosystem has leapt forward in the past few years, he said in a report prepared by MagniTT and sponsored by Qatar Development Bank (QDB).

He said the increase in venture capital funds, the number of international founders considering Qatar as their base, and the quality of deal flow are the outcomes of continuous efforts from Qatar’s public and private sectors.

Finding that the programmes initiated by QDB are giving local founders access to sophisticated capital and mentors; he said it also provides international founders with an access point to the Qatari market.

QDB’s goal is to expand the base of investors and funds in Qatar. To this end, it has launched several pioneering regional initiatives, including the Startup Qatar Investment Programme under the umbrella of Startup Qatar, a platform unveiled by the Investment Promotion Agency Qatar (Invest Qatar) last year, the Arab Entrepreneurs Investment Programme, and the Partial Guarantee programme, all aimed at boosting investment and supporting the private sector.

QDB continued to be a key player in the Qatari VC space maintaining its growth in 2024, amidst regional investment slowdown. Over the past nine years, QDB has invested QR302.4mn and invested in eight funds. “Qatar’s infrastructure for founders and investors is not only of high quality, but it also fosters a sense of community and collaboration between corporations, startups, and the broader innovation ecosystem,” Lints said.

Qatar has a lot of potential to become a hub for developing technologies across the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) and even globally, according to him.

“This potential is largely due to the role of entrepreneurs, who are integral to Qatar’s robust business environment and will allow innovation to be fostered within traditional industries as they prepare for the next growth phase,” he said.