QSTP organizes “Ride and Pitch” event

Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), part of Qatar Foundation (QF), recently hosted a three-day program to introduce university students to technology innovation and entrepreneurship. The program, consisting of a series of workshops focused on AI product development, the art of pitching, and one-on-one mentoring, culminated in a first-of-its-kind pitching competition held on a moving tram around Education City in QF.

The first edition of the “QSTP Ride and Pitch” program – open to QF partner universities – was attended by students from Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q), Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar (WCM-Q), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and Texas A&M University in Qatar, representing various countries, including Qatar, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, India, Kazakhstan, Japan and the USA.

During the program, students learned about how to develop and refine their entrepreneurial ideas under the guidance of nine mentors, including founders, professors, senior researchers, and consultants. Mentors included Bashar Hudhud, co-founder of QSTP-incubated startup Class Tap; Mohammed Zebian, QSTP accelerator program manager; and Rayane Fodil, head of innovation and entrepreneurship at Innovation Cafe Consultancy.

On the final day, students competed in a two-minute pitch before a panel of judges, three of whom were on the tram with the participants and two of whom watched live. The hour-long tram ride introduced students to the thrill, unpredictability, and agility that startup founders often face on their journey.

One of the judges, Hamad al-Hajri, founder and CEO of Snoon, appreciated the initiative, saying that he really enjoyed the pitching competition. “In the world of innovation, everything has to be innovative. The pitching competition inside the tram reflects what startups look like in real life. Constant movement, including shaking and banging, and students trying to keep their balance – this is what startups experience every day.”

“I think most of us as judges came in thinking we would inspire the contestants, but they actually inspired us. They gave us hope that there are a lot of smart ideas out there from young people just waiting to be discovered. It’s important that these young people have the resources and support they need, not just from government but also from the private sector, to grow and benefit the local tech innovation ecosystem.”

Dr. Jack Lau, President of QSTP, said: “This was the most innovative pitching event I have ever attended, leveraging what is indigenous to Qatar, QF and Education City. Presenting their ideas in an unconventional setting was part of the challenge that participants faced.

“We wanted the experience to be as realistic as possible, with unexpected and uncertain events. For example, there could be an unstable internet connection or a noisy atmosphere, but this was meant to surprise the participants a little, and everyone did a great job. We received amazing feedback and are already preparing for the next, larger edition of the program, which we plan to open to all universities in Qatar.”

First-place winner Shugyla Karshygakyzy, a sophomore at NU-Q, called the program “an eye-opening experience.” “The people around me were so supportive and encouraging. I really appreciated the guidance I received from my mentors during the mentoring workshops, as well as the opportunities to network and build relationships.”

Shugyla’s idea is to use AI in a way that helps solve the problem of low engagement, views, and likes on Instagram and TikTok for content creators. Her goal is to create a platform that combines various AI tools that help with everything from content strategy and content editing to publishing content on platforms. “For someone who doesn’t have a strong technical background, it was amazing to learn from experts and see the possibility of turning my idea into reality,” Shugyla said.

Second and third places went to HBKU student Muhammad Saad and WCM-Q student Lujain Al-Emadi, respectively.

In addition to free mentoring hours with QSTP experts and a special booth at QSTP’s upcoming AI Week 2024, winners will also receive an opportunity to fast-track their startups to QSTP Innovation Programmes to launch their startups and find the right support. The first-place winner received an iPad Pro, while the second- and third-place winners received AirPods, the statement added.