When two telecommunications firms successfully trialled and launched the first commercial 5G networks in the world in Qatar in 2018, the results were a boon, not only for Ooredoo and Vodafone Qatar’s customers, but also for the Middle Eastern state’s plans to upgrade its digital capabilities.
One year later, when Ooredoo partnered with the communications giant Ericsson to enhance its 5G infrastructure, its Group Chief Executive Officer, Sheikh Saud Bin Nasser Al Thani, said: “ Our partnership with Ericsson will provide the 5G foundation for our Ooredoo Supernet to enable Qatar’s Smart Cities, digitally competitive Internet of Things industries, and immersive mega-events and virtual reality experiences. As 5G becomes mainstream across Qatar, we are dedicated to transforming industries and enhancing people’s digital lives.”
Qatar’s sense of mission was further boosted in 2019 when it was ranked fourth in the 5G Leadership Index by specialist technology consultancy firm Arthur D Little, closely trailing South Korea, the US and Australia; the state can also boast nearly 100 per cent internet penetration.
Post-pandemic, technology remains a vital strand in the emirate’s strategy for economic diversification: information and communications technology spending will reach an estimated US$9bn by 2024, at a compounded annual growth rate of 9.2 per cent, according to the data analytics company Global Data. This is alongside a $200bn government programme to invest in technology, attract foreign investment and international talent.
The Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) is at the forefront of the country’s ambitions. A technology and business start-up hub, QSTP has already attracted established names such as Cisco and Microsoft to its free zone, as well as innovative start-ups and rising tech ventures operating across the IT, energy, environmental and health science sectors.
$200bn
government programme to invest in technology, attract foreign investment and international talent.
“By building sustainable partnerships with industry-leading companies and global conglomerates, QSTP has helped bring international expertise to Qatar, which has successfully contributed to the development, implementation and commercialisation of new technologies, products and services,” says Yosouf Al-Salehi, Executive Director of QSTP. “Owing to our free zone status, large firms have found QSTP an attractive base from which to conduct innovative technology development initiatives, and we continue to develop incubation, acceleration and funding programmes to attract start-ups from the local ecosystem, as well as from across the region, which now form the critical mass of activities within QSTP.”
According to Al-Salehi, QSTP’s ability to leverage strategic funds and investments, and its wide network of partners from across government, corporations and academic institutions, coupled with its provision of professional mentors and state-of-the-art, customisable infrastructure, allows tech companies to develop products and services that address national and global market needs.
One start-up whose evolution highlights the success of QSTP’s network is Snoonu, an online shopping, grocery and food delivery service founded in Doha in 2019. Named after the agile swallow bird, the company began offering logistics services for start-ups before offering its shopping and restaurant delivery services, including a round-the-clock grocery delivery service to consumers via a single app. At the end of May 2022, Snoonu expanded its operations beyond Qatar with the $10mn acquisition of the Omani delivery platform Akeed.
Snoonu was founded by Hamad Mubarak Al Hajri, who hopes to turn Snoonu into a super app of the Middle East, much like Rappi in Colombia, Grab in Singapore or WeChat in China. The CEO credits Qatar’s business-friendly ecosystem with Snoonu’s successful evolution from a postgraduate capstone project to a successful and expanding ecommerce platform. In April last year, Snoonu partnered with Microsoft to utilise its cloud computing services. “The ecosystem of Qatar is very good for start-ups,” Mr Al Hajri explains. “For example, our tech team is located in Qatar Science and Technology Park; it’s one of the world’s best technology and innovation centres. You don’t need a VC culture here as there are so many people willing to invest.”
Qatar’s cloud computing sector is booming. As part of its commitment to speed up Qatar’s digital transformation, the Qatar Free Zones Authority signed an agreement with Google Cloud to open a cloud data centre. And in 2021, Google Cloud launched a training Center of Excellence in partnership with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT). The centre, which shares cloud technology expertise through online courses, as well as more general training to help businesses and entrepreneurs sharpen their tech skills, welcomed 3,000 people through its doors during the first seven months of operations.
As Ghassan Kosta, Qatar Country Manager at Google Cloud, explains, the company has responded to the state’s determination to enable the cloud to transform the country. “Since Google Cloud established a presence in Qatar, we have been working closely with our partners and customers to drive the conversation on digital transformation, and share our expertise to support businesses locally.
“Our main mission is to break down barriers and cultivate an innovation mindset, with Qatar as a regional hub, while nurturing talent to embrace digital performance, to enhance operation and to respond to business challenges.”
