More than 5,200 visitors, 100 advisory sessions, and 120 exhibiting companies

Qatar Development Bank (QDB) has concluded the 11th edition of the Rowad Entrepreneurship Conference 2025, held under the esteemed patronage of His Excellency Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. The three-day conference took place from 17-19 November 2025 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center.

This year’s edition was held under the theme “Beyond Boundaries: Scaling, Sustaining, and Succeeding”, attracting more than 5,200 visitors who attended a wide range of specialized activities designed to support startups and strengthen innovation across Qatar’s national entrepreneurship ecosystem.

This year’s edition was organized in collaboration with the Young Entrepreneurs Club, which hosted within the conference the second edition of the Young Entrepreneurs Media Forum. The forum witnessed strong engagement and notable participation from leading entities, entrepreneurs, and media-focused companies.

Commenting on the success of this year’s edition of Qatar’s flagship entrepreneurship event, Mr. Abdulrahman bin Hesham Al-Sowaidi, Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Development Bank, said: “Rowad exceeded expectations this year, delivering one of the most impactful entrepreneurship support platforms both locally and regionally. The event fulfilled its purpose of opening new horizons filled with opportunities that empower entrepreneurs in Qatar to scale their businesses and compete in new markets.”

He added: “This year’s conference provided a strong platform to reinforce the role of the private sector in driving national economic diversification in line with the objectives of the Third National Development Strategy. By bringing together all components of the entrepreneurship ecosystem under one dynamic umbrella, Rowad enabled deeper collaboration and knowledge exchange. The success of this year’s edition is owed to the support of our partners and sponsors, and to the active participation of investors and companies who chose to showcase their innovative products and services at Rowad.”

As part of its activities, the conference hosted a startup exhibition featuring more than 120 local and international companies from diverse sectors, presenting their innovative solutions and technologies to a broad and diverse audience. The exhibition provided a unique opportunity for collaboration and idea exchange between ambitious entrepreneurs and investors, paving the way for ventures that will contribute to diversifying and growing the national economy.

The event also featured over 100 advisory sessions, more than 30 specialized workshops, and over 15 panel discussions across four thematic tracks, with the participation of more than 100 speakers representing leading experts and academics in business and entrepreneurship. The conference further resulted in over 45 bilateral meetings and new partnerships.

Reaffirming QDB’s commitment to nurturing an entrepreneurial culture among youth, Rowad 2025 welcomed a wide group of school students, offering them access to workshops and discussions tailored to their interests. The initiative aims to inspire the next generation to explore entrepreneurship and build a youth segment capable of leading Qatar’s future innovation landscape. The number of student participants surpassed 750 students from 34 schools.

This year’s conference was supported and sponsored by several national and regional organizations, including the two strategic partners of this edition: the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in addition to the strategic sponsor QNB Group.

With the conclusion of this edition, Qatar Development Bank reaffirms its commitment to advancing innovation, driving sustainable growth, and strengthening the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Qatar. QDB will continue enabling local founders to expand into new markets through innovative partnerships and programs that support the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030. For more information about the event, please visit the conference’s official website.