2025 edition held under the theme "Beyond Boundaries: Scaling, Sustaining, and Succeeding"

The 11th edition of the Rowad Entrepreneurship Conference opened on Monday under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Running from November 17-19, 2025, at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, the three-day event brings together senior government officials, public and private sector representatives, and leading entrepreneurs, investors, and experts from across the globe.

Organized in collaboration with the Young Entrepreneurs Club, this year's edition hosts the second "Young Entrepreneurs Media Forum," featuring participation from government and private organizations, media professionals, investors, and entrepreneurs.

Reflecting on the conference launch, Mr. Abdulrahman bin Hesham Al-Sowaidi, CEO of Qatar Development Bank, emphasized the significance of this year's edition. "Today's opening clearly demonstrates Rowad's pivotal role in supporting entrepreneurship and fostering innovation and creative thinking at the national and regional levels. The direct connections we've seen between companies and investors, and the knowledge sharing among experts and entrepreneurs, showcase this platform's unique ability to forge new pathways for collaboration across Qatar's business ecosystem."

He added: "Rowad's core mission is to create an environment where companies can access the knowledge, relationships, and opportunities they need to thrive. We want every innovator to gain valuable insights into market dynamics, enabling them to plan strategically and grow with confidence."

Bank officials explained that this year's theme charts a strategic course for entrepreneurship, emphasizing excellence in business model development, market expansion, and leveraging sustainability and innovation as competitive differentiators that attract investment.

The 2025 edition offers a rich and diverse program. A startup exhibition features innovative solutions from 120 local and international companies, while the conference hosts over 100 speakers and experts, more than 30 specialized workshops, and over 15 panel discussions organized across four thematic tracks.

Sessions tackle critical topics for Qatar's entrepreneurial ecosystem: strategies for scaling operations and entering new markets, leveraging global demand to refine products and services, prioritizing sustainability, and embracing innovative solutions. An interactive pitch platform allows entrepreneurs to present their ventures to investors and explore funding opportunities, while dedicated meetings between startups and investors facilitate partnership building and investment discussions.

The conference enjoys strong institutional support, with strategic partners including the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, alongside strategic sponsor QNB Group. The 11th edition of Rowad builds on the conference's established track record, strengthening Doha's position as a dynamic innovation hub and premier entrepreneurship destination. Rowad is held as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW).