AI technology is dismantling the traditional requirement for start-ups to be based in established global tech hubs like Silicon Valley or Shenzhen, according to a panel of experts at the 9th World Investment Forum in Doha.
Professor Wen Jun Li, vice president of Talent and International Strategy at City University of Hong Kong, explained that AI enables emerging ecosystems across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa to build globally competitive ventures without massive initial capital.
“But I think AI will enable places like Doha, Hong Kong, Dubai, and Johannesburg to build globally competitive companies, because creating AI-based businesses requires far less capital,” Li said.
Echoing these views, Luca Bucken, executive director of Government Relations at 500 Global, noted that founders are no longer forced to relocate abroad as regional support systems strengthen.
“Perhaps the biggest shift is that founders no longer need to make that journey at all, since many are still building their companies from home,” Bucken said.
Bucken pointed out that while software automates routine operational tasks, securing top human talent remains the primary factor in startup success.
“Because the differentiator is no longer the execution of specific tasks or processes, but the quality, excellence, and originality of the ideas that drive that execution,” he said.
Jonathan Greechan, co-founder and Chief Innovation officer at Founder Institute, stated that AI removes the age barrier in entrepreneurship by shifting focus from technical building to domain knowledge.
“Before AI, creation was one of the biggest bottlenecks,” Greechan said. He added that the average age of people launching businesses through their programs is 32, while founders aged 40 and older represent the fastest-growing segment.
Hasan Haider, founder and managing partner at Plus VC, described AI as an equaliser that removes excuses for launching products, while functioning as a multiplier of execution quality.
“So it has levelled the playing field for everyone: there’s no excuse. You can build a product, take it to market, and find out whether it’s useful,” Haider noted.
Haider pointed out that strong founders use AI to boost productivity, whereas weaker founders use it to send out automated pitch decks that hold no value.
Salal Hasan, founder and CEO of Ahya, stressed that while AI accelerates software construction, human judgment, trust, and distribution remain essential for building lasting enterprises.
“AI has made building products far easier. It hasn’t, however, made building companies any easier,” Hasan said.
Hasan cited a Sequoia Capital study of 515 startups provided with identical AI tools, which showed that only the top 1% achieved revenue growth.
