The Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), a member of Qatar Foundation (QF), has welcomed imec, a world-leading research and innovation hub in advanced semiconductor technologies, as newest member of its community.
The milestone marks a defining step in building Qatar’s semiconductor ecosystem and strengthens the country’s position as a regional hub for advanced technology development.
This follows the announcement at Mobile World Congress Doha 2025, where imec revealed plans to establish a regional presence in Qatar and signed a formal agreement with Invest Qatar and the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council, in the presence of government officials and technology industry leaders.
The expansion of imec into Qatar represents a significant milestone in its international growth and reflects the strength of Qatar’s innovation ecosystem.
Through its partnership with the QSTP, imec will leverage the QF’s research, education, and innovation network to advance research and development (R&D) into advanced compute and chip design, supporting the development of a robust regional semiconductor landscape.
"We are proud to welcome imec to the Qatar Science & Technology Park,” QSTP president Rama Chakaki said. "This partnership brings world-class semiconductor research and innovation to the region and reinforces our mission to position Qatar as a leading hub for technology, talent development, and collaboration.”
Max Mirgoli, the chief global development, partnerships and venturing officer and executive vice-president at imec, said: "imec Qatar is being built as a platform for shared innovation. Through close collaboration with the QSTP and the QF ecosystem, we are creating an environment where talent development, academic‑industry partnerships, and regional collaboration come together.”
"Our goal is to contribute meaningfully to the Gulf’s emerging high‑tech landscape by connecting local ambition with global expertise,” he said.
At the QSTP, imec’s regional hub will focus on advanced computer architectures, artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled chip design, and emerging semiconductor technologies, including silicon photonics, 3D integrated circuits, and advanced packaging solutions.
Researchers will explore next-generation design workflows and the application of generative and agent-based AI to accelerate semiconductor innovation.
These efforts will support the development of more efficient digital and energy infrastructure aligned with regional sustainability priorities.
Embedded within the QSTP’s innovation ecosystem of nearly 400 research, technology, and innovation entities, the imec hub will foster collaboration with industry, academia and startups by co-locating advanced research capabilities to accelerate technology adoption, enable applied research, and support the commercialisation of breakthrough semiconductor solutions.