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Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation (QRDI) Council has welcomed a delegation from Media City Qatar to its headquarters for a strategic engagement session bringing together Media City Qatar’s group of licensed companies and stakeholders alongside representatives from local large enterprises (LLEs), universities, and research institutions.The visit aims to provide an overview of QRDI Council’s national innovation priorities, encourage collaboration opportunities, and build connections across Qatar’s RDI ecosystem.Bader al-Saai, Director of Strategic Partnerships at QRDI Council, said: “As we advance Qatar’s innovation agenda, strategic dialogues like this are key to unlocking new value across emerging sectors.“Engaging with Media City Qatar and its partners allows us to surface shared ambitions, identify opportunities, and encourage the kind of cross-sector partnerships that accelerate national progress. At QRDI Council, our focus remains on enabling systems that turn ideas into impact, and positioning Qatar at the forefront of global innovation.”Thair Khaled al-Anani, Director of Business Development at Media City Qatar, added: “Media City Qatar is home to over 250 companies, including a significant number of startups, working alongside leading local and international media organisations. At its core, Media City Qatar prioritises supporting these companies by providing a comprehensive work environment, stimulating opportunities, and fostering productive and thriving partnerships.“The ability to keep up with cutting-edge technologies and innovative approaches remains a significant challenge for startups, as they seek to produce high-quality, impactful content that reinforces Qatar's position as a regional and global hub for the media industry. In this context, our partnership with QRDI Council, which leads efforts to organise and develop the research and innovation ecosystem in the country, comes as a fundamental step towards empowering media startups and SMEs. This partnership focuses on launching targeted programs that offer technical and financial support to pioneering media projects, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030."The agenda featured opening remarks by al-Saai and al-Anani, followed by a presentation on QRDI Council’s strategy and priority innovation clusters. QRDI Council’s Open Innovation team presented key funding and piloting opportunities, along with details on eligibility and application processes.A panel discussion on open innovation and agentic AI brought together voices from across the media sector, featuring Mohammad Ali Abbaspour, Founder and CEO of Sponix Tech; Ashrith Makam, Digital Director at WPP Media; and Ali Abbas, Founder and CEO of Arigatou. The day concluded with a networking session designed to encourage meaningful dialogue between Media City Qatar stakeholders and Qatar’s broader research and innovation community.This visit is an example of QRDI Council’s commitment to creating an interconnected RDI ecosystem in Qatar. By facilitating knowledge exchange and cross-sector collaboration, QRDI Council continues to advance its strategic goal of positioning Qatar as a global hub for research, development, and innovation, driving national impact through partnerships that accelerate discovery, commercialisation, and technological progress.

Media City Qatar has joined as a strategic partner for the Innovation by Design Summit 2025, powered by Doha Design District, Msheireb Properties has announced.The summit, presented by Msheireb Properties in collaboration with Fast Company Middle East, returns to Doha on September 24 following its 2024 debut.It will bring together regional and international experts to discuss how design intersects with business and innovation.Themed ‘Inspiring the Future of Design,’, the event will take place at the Mandarin Oriental Doha in Msheireb Downtown Doha (MDD) and feature 15 panel discussions and sessions on topics such as artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, product innovation, immersive media, sustainable architecture, and the future of the creator economy.Msheireb Properties CEO engineer Ali al-Kuwari said: “MDD exemplifies how design harmonises heritage, sustainability, and community. As a hub for institutions like Media City Qatar, we’ve witnessed firsthand how intentional design leads innovation ecosystems. This partnership will ignite collaborations that redefine urban living and regional connectivity.”Media City Qatar CEO, engineer Jassim Mohamed al-Khori, said: “Design is now central to how we tell stories, build systems, and connect with the world. At Media City Qatar, we enable media and tech innovators to build solutions that resonate globally.“This partnership accelerates our mission to advance Qatar as a nexus where talent, technology, and purposeful design converge, driving economic diversification in line with the Third Qatar National Development Strategy.”More than 60 entries have been submitted for the Innovation in Design Awards, spanning architecture, sustainable design, and emerging creators.The summit features discussions such as “How is Design Saving the World?,” “Designing the Future of Tourism,” and “Creative Intelligence: How Design is Driving Innovation.” Through these conversations, the event will highlight how design is increasingly central to how we build trust, scale ideas, and solve real problems.Sessions like “Designing for Harmony” will dissect design’s capacity to address climate resilience, equitable architecture, and resource efficiency, and “Beyond the Screen: The Rise of Immersive Media in the Digital Age” will discuss NFTs, AI-generated environments, and the $480bn Mena creator economy by 2027.