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Startup Grind Doha Chapter recently hosted the ‘All Star Pitch Battle’, highlighting the strength and creativity of Qatar’s startup ecosystem, with over 150 people from the ecosystem attending the event held at Qatar Chamber’s headquarters in Lusail.The event, held in partnership with the Youth Entrepreneurship Club (YEC) and Qatar Chamber, and sponsored by Builders VC Mena, underscored Qatar’s growing position as a hub for entrepreneurship and innovation, aligning with the nation’s vision of cultivating a vibrant and globally competitive startup landscape.The journey began with 51 startups in Qatar applying, of which 21 were selected to pitch at the event. The pitch battle is part of a global Startup Grind programme, held across more than 150 chapters worldwide, uniting founders and innovators from diverse markets on one global stage.The following are the winners of the Doha edition: Be My Sense (first place), PitchPro.me (second place), paintit.ai (third place), and Meta Souq (Most Creative Pitch Award). Be My Sense received $1,500, a trophy, and advanced to represent Qatar in the regional semi-finals.Be My Sense stood out for its impactful solution, an AI-powered platform designed to empower the hearing-impaired community. Through real-time sign language translation, the platform breaks communication barriers in education, entertainment, and daily life, placing accessibility at the heart of digital innovation.Tarik Sultan of Builders VC Mena said: “The All Star Pitch Battle showcased the ambition and originality that’s defining Qatar’s emerging startup ecosystem. The entrepreneurs who took the stage were not simply presenting ideas; they were offering solutions with the potential to scale globally. At Builders VC Mena, we believe platforms like this are critical in giving founders the visibility, networks, and confidence to translate vision into lasting value.”YEC vice-president Abdulrahman Tariq al-Emadi said: “Our partnership with Startup Grind Doha in the All Star Pitch Battle reflects our commitment to empowering young entrepreneurs in Qatar.“By providing a platform for startups to showcase their talent, we are helping to inspire innovation, build confidence, and strengthen the foundations of a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.”The competition was judged by Sultan, Alina Truhina of A-typical Ventures, Hayfa al-Abdulla (Qatar Science & Technology Park), Omair Alnaimi (Ministry of Communications and Information Technology), Marcel Dridje (EBAN GCC Ambassador), Firas Sleiman (Kaic), and Majed Lababidi (Alchemist Doha).Startup Grind Doha director Indica Amarasinghe said: “The All Star Pitch Battle was more than just a competition; it was a celebration of the incredible talent and creativity in Qatar’s startup ecosystem. We are proud to provide a platform for these entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and connect with global opportunities.”

His Excellency Director of the Government Communications Office (GCO) and Chairman of the Permanent Web Summit Organising Committee, Sheikh Jassim bin Mansour bin Jabor Al-Thani convened a meeting with Liaison Director of German BVMW GCC Office Nizar Maarouf, and Managing Director Christian Schwippert, to discuss coordination and the roadmap for the second edition of the German Startup Pavilion at Web Summit Qatar 2026, taking place from 1st to 4th of February 2026.During the meeting, HE Sheikh Jassim bin Mansour bin Jabor Al-Thani reaffirmed his and his team's full support for the upcoming edition, ensuring strong collaboration and facilitation to make it an even greater success."Our work with the German startup community exemplifies our broader strategy to foster meaningful international collaboration in the technology and innovation spaces.""I personally look forward to seeing how the next wave of German startups tap into the opportunities that we continue to expand year over year," His Excellency added.Nizar Maarouf added: "We look forward to the active participation of the German Startup Pavilion at Web Summit Qatar 2026, following the great success of our first presence at the last edition of the event, which saw the participation of more than 100 German companies. We want to extend our sincere thanks to Sheikh Jassim and his team for their continuous support of our work and the hospitality shown to the German startup participants at Web Summit 2025."The meeting highlighted the shared commitment to further strengthen Qatari-German cooperation in innovation and entrepreneurship, and expanding opportunities for partnership and investment in a way that positions Qatar as a global hub for technology and innovation.