Qatar’s rapidly expanding digital infrastructure and connected ecosystem are increasingly drawing international entrepreneurs to develop local technology capabilities.
"Beyond that personal connection, one of the things that attracted me professionally is how connected Qatar is and how much of its future development depends on technology,” said David de Paula Santos Silva, the founder and CEO of CyberX, an ethical hacking services firm headquartered at the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP).
The push to integrate smart-city technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), and e-government platforms has created an environment where security testing must scale alongside digital growth, Silva told Gulf Times in an exclusive interview.
He said: "Qatar is investing heavily in digital infrastructure, e-government, AI, and smart-city technologies. The country’s Digital Agenda 2030 includes ambitions around digital transformation and smart cities, while Qatar National Vision 2030 has the broader objective of developing a diversified, knowledge-based economy.”
Silva noted that a nation building complex technological frameworks cannot treat digital protection as an afterthought. "That creates enormous opportunities, but it also means cybersecurity cannot be treated as something added at the end,” he explained.
He observed that transport, telecommunications, energy, and government services, cloud platforms, IoT devices, and digital identities are increasingly converging into a single digital ecosystem.
Silva explained that Qatar’s Digital Agenda 2030 features clear ambitions around digital transformation and smart cities, complementing the Qatar National Vision 2030 objective of developing a diversified, knowledge-based economy.
"Qatar has the universities, research environment, technology investment, and national ambition to develop some of that capability locally rather than simply importing cybersecurity solutions from abroad,” Silva pointed out.
He noted that proximity to academic institutions allows his firm to focus on developing new capabilities, exploring offensive security, and testing interconnected infrastructure using AI.
"Being based at QSTP gives us proximity to universities, researchers, technology companies and a broader innovation ecosystem... explore areas such as offensive security, AI-assisted security testing, and the protection of increasingly connected infrastructure,” he emphasised.
The government has actively accelerated efforts to attract such foreign talent through significant strategic initiatives. During Web Summit Qatar 2026, HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani highlighted the state’s focus on technological leadership.
"We meet at a moment when innovation has become the world’s most valuable currency. In Qatar, we do not wait for the future to arrive. We work to shape it, alongside partners from around the world,” the prime minister stated during his inaugural speech at the summit.
The prime minister noted that in just two years, Web Summit Qatar has become a leading platform for the global technology community, shaping dialogue, partnerships, and investment priorities.
To further cement this ecosystem, authorities in Qatar have streamlined company formation. Founders registering at the summit can now complete business establishment, open bank accounts, and obtain residency within days, the prime minister also said.