The ‘Smart Qatar Zone’ will be the latest addition to ‘Qitcom 2017’, Qatar’s biggest digital event aimed at connecting smart technology with international expertise, industry leadership and innovators.
‘Qitcom 2017’, slated on March 6 to 8 at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC), is managed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) under the theme ‘Qatar — Towards a Smart Future’.
The event, according to the MoTC, “strongly promotes” entrepreneurship, innovation, and learning to help Qatar generate and sustain a vibrant knowledge-based economy.
The MoTC said the ‘Smart Qatar Zone’ will demonstrate the application of smart solutions and services to five key sectors of the economy selected for their contribution to achieving the Qatar National Vision 2030: transport, environment, health, sports, and logistics.
The ‘Smart Qatar Zone’ also contains areas dedicated to entrepreneurs, SMEs, and e-Commerce through an ‘Entrepreneurship Zone’, ‘Innovation Zone’, ‘Digital Masrah Zone’, ‘BizTech Zone’, ‘Innovation Theatre’, and youth festival. E-Government will also play a big part at ‘Qitcom 2017’, with achievements and announcements to feature in a ‘Qatar Digital Government Zone’.
Alongside the ‘Smart Qatar Zone’ is Qitcom’s exhibition, where around 90 exhibitors and co-exhibitors comprising international tech giants and local companies will showcase the latest digital technologies and smart solutions.
Another major component of ‘Qitcom 2017’ is the conference, where senior-level government officials, business leaders, academics, innovators, and investors will explore and discuss how to foster smart technology and innovation to address challenges across the priority sectors of transport, environment, health, sports, and logistics.
To further empower entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), ‘Qitcom 2017’ will feature ‘Start Up Matchmaking’, as well as digital awards to recognise pioneering Qatari companies in digital innovation.
Also brand new to Qitcom is the ‘Hackathon’ competition, where young computer programmers and software developers from high schools and universities will compete to develop software solutions to real problems in real time.
Reem al-Mansoori, assistant undersecretary of Digital Society Development Sector at the MoTC, said: “Qitcom is now in its fourth successful year and ‘Qitcom 2017’ brings together a large and diverse ecosystem of stakeholders involved in the technology sector from international CEOs and CIOs, Qatar’s key decision makers, smart technology providers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and innovators under one umbrella to exchange ideas and collaborate towards achieving the vision of a smarter Qatar.”
She added: “‘Qitcom 2017’ is important for all Qataris and residents as it aims to have a transformative impact not only on Qatar’s tech industry, but also the key sectors of transport, environment, health, sports, and logistics through the application of smart technology, thereby enhancing the private economy, the public sector, and quality of life for the general public in pursuit of the National Vision 2030.”
