The Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), the country’s primary accelerator and incubator for technology development, recently hosted the third Demo Day for its ongoing ‘Accelerator Programme.’
The event, held at Qatar National Convention Centre, was attended by leading investors and established entrepreneurs from Qatar and the wider region.
Serving as a unique platform for Qatar’s aspiring entrepreneurs and technology innovators, the Demo Day featured 19 innovative projects relevant to a range of industries in Qatar, including health, construction, energy, wireless technology, agriculture, education, healthcare and communications.
The Demo Day aims to bridge the gap between research innovations and the needs of the market by creating a synergy among entrepreneurs and investors from across various sectors of Qatar’s thriving economy. Now in its third edition, the ‘Accelerator Programme’ equips participating entrepreneurs with the necessary training and mentoring programmes to ensure the feasibility of their business ideas in addressing the priority fields highlighted in the Qatar National Research Strategy.
Hamad al-Kuwari, QSTP’s managing director, said: “The Accelerator Programme has proven to be a successful model in Qatar, and potentially across the region, inciting interest in technology innovation entrepreneurship among the people of Qatar. Our experts and mentors are blessed with a wealth of experience in the fields of research, technology and market dynamics, helping QSTP to offer a standardised entrepreneurship education programme for aspiring entrepreneurs in Qatar.”
Participating projects at the third Demo Day included: ‘ARVEX’, ‘CESHAT’, ‘DietHub’, ‘DigiHeart’, ‘Dr Dial’, ‘EasyBroadcast’, ‘Faham LT’, ‘Feelix Palm Tactile Communicator’, ‘Noval Airway’, ‘Omega-Implant’, ‘Pictoris Data’, ‘Problemia’, ‘Q Nonocomposites’, ‘QSAF’, ‘Salvation’, ‘Sanda’, ‘Ultra Diesel, ‘WakeCap’, and ‘Wheelchair Power Bar’.   
One of the projects showcased at the event, the Qatar Smart Agriculture and Forestry (QSAF), is a Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Internet of Things (IoT) system with a cloud platform designed to remotely manage greenhouse agricultural techniques. This system aims to monitor and control the environment parameters of greenhouse effects, decreasing the necessity of human intervention.
Another innovative project displayed at the Demo Day, ‘Ultra Diesel’, processes and converts waste lubricants into refined light oil, diesel fuel cut, and bitumen solids. The added value of the process is that degraded oil is converted to diesel fuel and bitumen and sold on the open market, as opposed to the current practice of disposing of this oil at garbage facilities.
Since the launch of QSTP’s Accelerator Programme, there has been an increased interest in participation from national innovators and entrepreneurs. The programme’s first cohort received 27 applications, the second 57 and the current third cohort an impressive 103 applications. The fourth planned cohort is set to expand participation further, as it is currently in the process of screening a record 269 applications.