Online program aims to help build 20 promising technology companies per year in Qatar
Founder Institute (FI.co), the world's largest pre-seed accelerator, announced today that it is officially launching its newest chapter in Qatar. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200 cities, the Founder Institute provides high-potential entrepreneurs and teams with a dedicated support network and a structured growth process for building a business, getting traction and securing funding. Any aspiring entrepreneur or team interested in launching an enduring global technology business is invited to apply to the Qatar Virtual 2022 Founder Institute at FI.co/apply/doha which will kick-off March 22, 2022. The early bird deadline to apply is February 06, 2022.
Leading the launch of the Founder Institute in Qatar are Dr. Hanan El Basha, Founder - The Business Doctor, Katie Mapondera, Founder & Managing Partner - Q L and D, and Dr. Luana Ozemela, Founder & CEO - DIMA Consult. Together they will lead the local activation of Founder Institute’s pledge to support the launch and growth of impactful businesses aligned with the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs). Drawing from their expertise in internationalization, partnerships, and coaching, Qatar Chapter Leaders will connect local entrepreneurs to a deeply and authentically invested global support system through Founder Institute’s equity collective, a unique startup investment and teaming model where cohort participants and their mentors have a vested interest in each other's success right from the start. (Learn more about FI's Equity Collective at FI.co/liquidity)
The Founder Institute brings to Qatar a vastly different entrepreneur development journey that complements and contributes to existing initiatives within the local entrepreneurship ecosystem by offering both the framework and the networks for global growth. In addition to providing aspiring entrepreneurs with a highly structured process for building their business anywhere in the world, the Qatar Chapter will support participating Founders’ in developing the entrepreneurial mindset, and the grit required to be resilient as they embark on an exciting and challenging chapter of their lives. The Doha Virtual 2022 Founder Institute will also host a series of free online startup events, where attendees can learn how to launch a company and learn more about the program.
- See the full list of events at FI.co/events/doha
In addition, many of the region’s top startup investors, founders, and executives have expressed interest in sharing their experience and/or mentoring entrepreneurs in the program:
- Abdullah Soomro, My Book Qatar
- Abeer Kamal: Senior Territory Sales Manager, Oracle
- Ahmad Al Saygh: Entrepreneur, Bedaya Center
- Ahmed Fawzi: CEO, MICEtribe
- Ahmed Diab: Mergers & Acquisitions Advisor, CBA (Cross Border Associates)
- Aicha Ghaffari: Director of Strategic Partnerships, KiwiTech
- Alain Readman Valiquette: CEO & Founder Accelerator App
- Allan Villegas, Ph.D.: HEC Paris, KETZALIA
- Anika Luthra: Founder & CEO, Creative Notion
- Antônio Roquim Neto: Managing Director, Nasser Bin Khaled International, NBKI
- Awdesh Chetal, HyperThink Systems
- Baaghil: The Brand Scientist, The Baaghil
- Bassam Al Mannai: Head of Real Estate, Qatar Development Bank
- Bret Barnard: Director of Business Development, BPO Engineering / QuAnTuM Services
- Bryan D'souza: R3, Strategic Alliances & Partner Ecosystem Lead
- Carly Jane Figgis: General Manager, BBR Design
- Charles Vincent: Managing Director, Atelier 101
- Evans Osemwegie: Entrepreneur and Managing Director Founder Institute Latvia
- Fahim Muscatwalla: Private Equity and Venture Capital Investor
- Francisco De Sousa: Managing Director, Talabat
- George Cigale: President, Littera Education
- Howaida Nadim: Founder and CEO, PurpleBox e-Commerce
- Indica Amarasinghe: Lean Startup Coach, Doha Tech Angels
- Jahongir Burhonov: Vice President - Business Development, Qatar Financial Centre
- Julio Cesar Cosmo: CEO, Juntos Campus
- Leo Gmeiner: CEO & Co-founder, School Guardian
- Michael Jay: President, Educational Systemics, Inc.
- Michael Javier: CEO & Founder, CWALLET
- Mohamed Sultan: Founder & CEO, TurnDigital
- Ramzi Schumann: Senior Advisor Investment, Da Vinci Capital - Venture Capital & Private Equity
- Russell Brand: Member, Keiretsu Forum
- Saad Moazam: Management Consultant - Energy & Innovation, EY
- Safarudheen Farook: Co-Founder and CEO, Spendwisor
- Sherif Elmasry: Managing Director, Avantod
- Steve Mackie: Founder, Business Start Up Qatar
- Suleiman Al-Khateeb: Executive Director - Corporate Development, Salam International Investment Ltd
- Tejinder Singh: Entrepreneur and Investor, 360Nautica
- Wafic Naccash: Entrepreneur | Digital Innovation Consultant
- Yasser Hamad: Co-Founder & President, iHorizons
To protect the health and safety of the program's mentors, partners, and participants, the upcoming Founder Institute cohort will be held completely online, allowing anyone to build a business alongside some of the top entrepreneurs and investors in Doha and from around the world from the comfort of home. The Founder Institute Doha Virtual 2022 pre-seed accelerator program begins on March 22, 2022, and aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs looking to build solutions for the future will have the opportunity to:
- Get constant feedback and regular office hours with 40+ Qatar Mentors, investors, and entrepreneurs.
- Make quick progress on their business using a proven, structured process to get to traction and funding that has helped alumni build great products and raise over $1 billion in funding.
- Get fast-tracked to a suite of post-programs, including Funding Lab, to continue getting expert support for years to come.
- Expand their support network to include startup founders, CEOs, and investors from the Founder Institute’s global network of 5,000+ alumni and 20,000+ mentors across 200+ cities
Anybody who is interested can apply to the Qatar Virtual 2022 Founder Institute at http://fi.co/apply/doha, and those that apply by the Early Application Deadline (Feb 06, 2022) are eligible for reduced pricing.
Join us in Qatar to help build the future.
Apply to the Qatar - GCC Fall 2025 Founder Institute today, or learn more at FI.co/overview.
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About the Founder Institute
The Founder Institute (FI.co) is the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator. In the program, early-stage entrepreneurs and teams build their business alongside a critical support network of startup experts that share equity in their success, and through a structured and challenging business-building process that has helped alumni raise over $1 billion. Leaders of the world’s fastest-growing startups have used the Founder Institute to raise funding, get into seed-accelerators, generate traction, recruit a team, build a product, transition from employee to entrepreneur, and more. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 200 cities and 90 countries, the Founder Institute’s mission is to Globalize Silicon Valley and empower talented and motivated entrepreneurs to build companies that will create one million new jobs.
