The innovation ecosystem in Qatar is encouraging and the Middle East and the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) region as such needs two-pronged strategy to harness technologies, said Amin Toufani, pictured, chief executive of T Labs.
“There is lot of opportunities (here). Leapfrogging in innovation is massive,” he said in reference to the fast accelerating and improving technologies such as artificial intelligence, Nano technology and augmented reality.
Finding that the technologies are becoming more prevalent and cheaper and leading to technological deflation, Toufani, who was in Doha on the invitation of YPO Qatar Chapter, said the message is to empower the region, regardless of the current state of affairs.
Advocating two-pronged approach for the (Arab) region, he said the government should provide the social safety net to support the downside but that alone was not sufficient. Hence, there is a dire need for promoting the upside which is the entrepreneurship development.
Asked how far the GCC governments performed well in creating enabling environment, Toufani, who is based in the US and visiting Doha for the second time, said the innovation ecosystem in Qatar, is “encouraging.”
Acknowledging that he has had talks with universities and Qatar Foundation, Toufani, who has a degree in artificial intelligence from the University of British Columbia, an MBA from Stanford, and an MPA in economic policy from Harvard, said he is highly impressed by the country’s quest for nanotechnology innovation.
Optimistic on Qatar’s future in technological fields, the former director of strategy and vice president of strategic relations at Singularity University said his message would be empowerment and inclusion since technologies knows no boundaries and races but investments are crucial.
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