About the Qatar Innovation Hackathon 2024
The Hackathon is designed to attract Qatar’s ambitious and innovative entrepreneurs to create and share their creative ideas and solutions to tackle challenges across 6 industry-specific themes, namely Tech Transformation, EnterpriseTech, SportsTech, MobilityTech, FinTech, and CreativeTech.
Hackathon’s Theme
The latest edition of the Qatar Innovation Hackathon seeks innovative business models utilizing key enabling technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Augmented Reality, across the following themes:
CleanTech
Innovations driving sustainability and environmental consciousness in technology
PropTech
Solutions revolutionizing the real estate industry through technology
CyberTech
Cutting-edge advancements in cybersecurity and digital defense strategies
Advanced Manufacturing
Hardware and software innovations optimizing manufacturing processes for enhanced productivity.
Digital Transformation
Overall digital innovation and optimization across various industries
Operational Efficiency
Transforming internal processes for corporates to elevate business performance
New Business Horizons
Pioneering partnerships for diversified business models, enhancing customer experiences
Performance Enhancement
Elevating sports performance through cutting-edge technology and data-driven insights
E-Gaming
Blending technology with sports for virtual competition and immersive experiences
Electrification
Driving sustainable transport with advanced electric vehicle solutions and charging
Digitization of Mobility
Streamlining vehicle ownership, loans, financing, and insurance through digitalization
Mobility as a Service (MaaS)
Catalyzing on-demand, shared economy transportation innovations for seamless mobility
Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) Communication
Advancing road safety through vehicle-to-vehicle communication for proactive collision prevention
Islamic Fintech
Powered by Qatar Central Bank
Innovating sharia-compliant solutions with blockchain and AI
Digital Assets
Powered by Qatar Financial Center
Shaping the future of digital financial assets
Interactive AR Experiences
Developing immersive AR experiences and digital art that enhance visitors’ experiences
Empowering Creativity
Elevating content creation through digital storytelling tools and generative AI
Why apply to the Qatar Innovation Hackathon?
Each winning team will receive up to
QAR 25,000
as a
Pre-Investment AwarD
to further develop their idea
EARLY-STAGE
INVESTMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES
Direct access to
QDB INCUBATION PROGRAMS
for follow-on investment
THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND YOUR
NETWORK
OF COLLABORATORS AND PARTNERS
ACCESS TO LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL
COACHES
TO ACCELERATE YOUR LEARNING
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PITCH TO
INVESTORS
TO VALIDATE YOUR BUSINESS IDEA
Key Dates
11 May 2024
Applications Close
12 May 2024
Idea Selection
16-18 May 2024
Hackathon Weekend
19 May 2024
Pitching Day
21 May 2024
Winners
Announcement
23 May 2024
Award Ceremony
Enroll in the Incubation Program for Pre-Seed Investment
SELECTION CRITERIA
PROBLEM
Is the problem significant enough to be addressed?
SOLUTION
Does the proposed idea or business model have the potential to make an impact?
TEAM
Does the team have the necessary skills, expertise, and vision to implement on the idea?
RELEVANCE
Is the idea directly relevant to the theme?
FAQs
What is the BIA Hackathon?
The BIA Hackathon is designed to attract Qatar’s ambitious and innovative entrepreneurs to create and share their creative ideas and solutions to tackle challenges across 6 industry-specific themes, namely Tech Transformation, EnterpriseTech, SportsTech, Mobility, FinTech, and CreativeTech.
How can I participate in the hackathon?
You can apply for the hackathon by clicking on the “Apply Now” button
Who is this hackathon for?
Anyone with an idea that is relevant to the themes of the hackathon is welcome to participate.
Do I have to bring a fully formed idea to the hackathon?
We prefer that you do, but don’t worry if you don’t have all the answers; the hackathon will kick off with an ideation phase, which should help you refine your idea.
CAN I APPLY WITH MULTIPLE IDEAS?
We encourage applicants to review the selection criteria and submit the idea that they believe has the highest potential for impact. However, if you choose to submit multiple ideas, the application committee will review all of them and inform you if any of your ideas have been selected for the hackathon.
HOW DO I KNOW WHICH THEME I SHOULD APPLY FOR / IS THE BEST-FIT THEME FOR MY IDEA?
To determine the best-fit theme for your idea, please review the theme descriptions carefully. If you are still unsure, don’t worry – the application committee will review your application and refer it to the most appropriate theme if necessary..
DO I NEED TO BE PRESENT IN QATAR TO PARTICIPATE?
Yes, to participate in the hackathon for all themes except FinTech, you must be based in Qatar and hold a valid Qatar ID. For the FinTech theme, applicants from Qatar, GCC, and MENA are also eligible.
I DON’T HAVE A TEAM; CAN I STILL PARTICIPATE IN THE HACKATHON?
Yes, you can apply for the hackathon as an individual or as a team. You will have an opportunity to find other team members in the hackathon.
I already have a team; can I still participate in the hackathon?
Yes, you can apply for the hackathon as an individual or as a team. Make sure to add the details of your team members in the application form.
How many hours per day do I have to allocate to the hackathon?
Each day of the hackathon will have a specific agenda with workshops and deliverables. It’s really up to you (and your team) to decide on the number of hours you want to invest in developing your idea.
Who will be mentoring/coaching?
Business and technical experts from the industry. Each theme will have a roster of relevant coaches that will be shared once the hackathon kicks off.
Do I need to prep for the hackathon?
Other than finding fellow brilliant minds with complementary skills to team up with, there is nothing that you need to prepare for in advance.
What will I get out of the hackathon?
Winning teams will be provided with an incentive in the form of funding and in-kind support. Please read the Terms and Conditions thoroughly.
How are the winners selected?
The details will be shared with the participants during the hackathon.
Who will be judging?
The judging panel will be shared with the participants during the hackathon.
What tools will be used in the hackathon?
You will need your laptop to participate in the hackathon. You may be asked to download different tools for collaboration throughout the event.
Will the hackathon be delivered in English or Arabic?
The hackathon will be delivered in English, including the sessions and the participants’ deliverables. However, you will have access to both English and Arabic-speaking coaches for additional support.
I have another question that is not answered in your FAQs, what should I do?
Please send us the question via hackathon@qdb.qa and we will update this list so that everybody can benefit from the answer.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Milestone Plan: Winning teams shall be given the Hackathon Pre-Investment Award (“Award”) as a milestone-based conditional fund. Winning teams shall prepare and sign a milestone plan for the utilization of the Award with an advisor/coach appointed by Qatar Development Bank (QDB) and/or its Business Incubators and Accelerators (BIA).
Eligibility: At least one of the team members of the winning teams shall be based in Qatar with a valid Qatar ID and a local bank account in order to receive the Hackathon Pre-Investment Award for all theme winners except FinTech, which will have a different list of requirements that will be shared in due course. In case of failure to submit the required documents as requested within thirty (30) days, the winning team may be disqualified from receiving the award, at QDB’s discretion.
Program Participation: Winning teams shall be pipelined to QDB Incubation Programs (as deemed fit by the committee, “Program”). Acceptance of the Hackathon Pre-Investment Award automatically confirms the winning teams’ participation in the Incubation Program and commitment to raise follow-on funding. If the team decides not to continue with the Program or drops out during the Program, the disbursement of the Award will be suspended pending review by the relevant committee.
Follow-On Funding: The additional funding and in-kind support upon successful completion of the Incubation Program is to be allocated at the full discretion of the judging committee of that specific program. If selected for additional funding, the Hackathon Pre-Investment Award will be integrated as part of the investment agreement (convertible) at the end of the Program. For example, after receiving the Hackathon Pre-Investment Award of QAR 25,000, if the winning team is also selected for follow-on funding from the Incubation Program worth QAR 250,000, then the total investment value in the convertible contract will be QAR 275,000.
Right of First Investment: The Hackathon Pre-Investment Award grants QDB and/or its Business Incubators and Accelerators the Right of First Investment in the winning teams’ first external round of funding. If the winning team is selected by the committee upon successful completion of the Program, this will automatically be the first external round of funding. If the winning team does not complete the Program or is not selected, then QDB reserves the right to join the first external round of funding within a period of one (1) year from the date of signatures on these terms and conditions. The winning team must notify QDB and/or its Business Incubators and Accelerators via email regarding the first external round of funding within the one (1) year period. The email should be sent to the appointed coach/advisor.
Use of Funds: The winning teams may only use the Award for market validation tests, minimum viable product development, marketing, and legal expenses (subject to approval by the coach/QBIC). Otherwise, QDB shall have the right to suspend / revoke the Award in case the team does not comply with the agreed upon milestones.
Intellectual Property Rights: The participants shall act in good faith and shall not infringe any new and existing IP generated from the venture or Intellectual Property Rights that are owned by any third party. Should this event occur, QDB shall not be liable for any actions by participants who caused such infringement. Intellectual Property developed by the participants belongs to the participants and the Award does not entitle QDB to any intellectual property rights of the winning teams.
Terms & Conditions: QDB shall have the right to revoke the Award in case of misuse of funds and/or violation of QDB’s terms and conditions. Failure to comply with Incubation Team during the hackathon or after being awarded shall trigger an automatic disqualification from the hackathon and its Awards.
Organized By
Incubators & Accelerators
Strategic Partners
Theme Partners
Knowledge & Ecosystem Partners
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