QRDI Council, QIA, and ESMT Berlin’s partnership brings together first DEEP Qatar cohorts as CDL-Doha begins its inaugural year

Twenty-four researchers and scientists from Qatar completed the DEEP Academy Qatar, a practice-oriented program that helps them assess the commercial potential of their work and develop the skills to turn scientific discoveries into ventures. The program combines entrepreneurial training, startup simulations, team-based work, and guidance from experienced founders and industry experts. The DEEP Qatar TTO Academy also brought together 22 technology transfer professionals from across Qatar. It focused on the organizational designs, processes, and capabilities required to move research beyond academia, including technology commercialization and venture creation. Together, the two programs address both sides of the early commercialization process: researchers develop the confidence and skills to explore entrepreneurship, while technology transfer professionals build the systems to support them. 

For entrepreneurs who have already created deep-tech ventures, CDL-Doha provides an objectives-based mentorship program. Over nine months, founders work with experienced entrepreneurs, scientists, investors, and operators from around the world to set concrete objectives, test key assumptions, focus their resources, and determine the most important next steps for their companies. CDL is a nonprofit program that does not take equity in participating ventures. Founders take part in one of three specialized streams that support up to 60 science- and technology-based ventures each year. The artificial intelligence stream supports ventures developing secure, efficient, and operationally reliable AI for high-stakes industrial environments. The health stream supports teams working on predictive diagnostics, personalized therapies, and evidence-based healthcare. The agrifood stream focuses on technologies that make food systems more resilient, resource-efficient, and sustainable, especially in arid and climate-stressed environments. 

Together with its partners from Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council, DEEP Qatar also convened Ecosystem Days to bring ventures and mentors together with Qatar’s startup and innovation community: investors, corporate partners and government agencies. The gatherings created opportunities to connect with people and organizations that can help develop, test, finance, and scale new technologies.  

“We not only strengthen Qatar’s capacity to translate its growing scientific base into successful ventures but also provide emerging deep-tech startups from around the world with access to outstanding mentors and business and investment opportunities,” said Thorsten Lambertus, managing director of DEEP – Institute for Deep Tech Innovation at ESMT Berlin and site lead for CDL-Doha. 

DEEP Qatar was established in 2026 in partnership with QIA’s Fund of Funds and the QRDI Council. The QRDI Council oversees and enables the programs and their integration into Qatar’s wider innovation strategy. 

About QIA’s Fund of Funds 

Launched by Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the Fund of Funds aims to develop a strong start-up and venture capital ecosystem in Qatar, attract leading venture capital funds and entrepreneurs to the region and help close the current funding gap for local and regional entrepreneurs. The program, first announced in February 2024, will invest USD 3 billion in international and regional venture capital funds and will place a priority focus on the tech and healthcare sectors. The Fund of Funds has a dual investment mandate to achieve good financial performance and deliver a positive development impact on the Qatari venture capital ecosystem. 

About QRDI Council  

QRDI Council is a national entity with the mission to support research, development and innovation (RDI) activities as well as to develop RDI talent in Qatar. The Council strives to make Qatar a top destination for global talent and a pioneering research, innovation, and development hub with its motto “locally empowered, globally connected”.  

Playing a pivotal role within the Qatar National Development Strategy, the QRDI Council is actively shaping the Innovation component of the EconomicDiversification goal. The Council’s commitment underlines its unwavering dedication to the Qatar National Vision 2030. QRDI Council aims to make Qatar a global innovation hub and a top choice for R&D centers worldwide, seeing RDI as vital for Qatar's growth and prosperity.  
 
To delve deeper into QRDI Council's endeavors and vision:  
Website: www.qrdi.org.qa  
 
Media Contact: Mediaoffice@qrdi.org.qa 
 
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