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About Rowad

Under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Qatar Entrepreneurship Conference (ROWAD) takes place in November during the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). ROWAD is a QDB brand and is a part of the GEW community.
It is an important platform for spreading the culture of entrepreneurship, which is significant in boosting Qatar’s economy.
It is a celebration of entrepreneurship activities and achievements that take place locally and worldwide. ROWAD encourages entrepreneurs and SMEs to enhance their entrepreneurial skills. How? By providing a venue that will display/ and gather entrepreneurial spirit and open channels of communication between ecosystem players.

​EVENT OBJECTIVES

  • ​Celebrate entrepreneurship, educate Micro-SMEs, and encourage individuals to become entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to life
  • Drive economic growth in Qatar by creating a vibrant start-up ecosystem
  • Create a platform to exchange knowledge and experience
  • Inspire local entrepreneurs and guide them in their journey
  • To foster the entrepreneurial culture and awareness within Qatar by highlighting the opportunities and being the catalyst of a mind-set shift
  • To showcase Mentors and provide matchmaking opportunities for Mentees
  • To reinforce working relationships and promote networking among various entrepreneurial stakeholders in Qatar

​ROWAD 2020 THEME – SUSTAINABILITY “My Impact on My Economy & Country”

The aim of QNV 2030 is to transform Qatar into an advanced society capable of achieving sustainable development by 2030.

The development goals are divided into four central pillars:

  • Economic
  • Social
  • Human
  • Environmental​

With a specific focus on SUSTAINABLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP, the conference will act as a meeting point for those who embrace the challenge of recognizing, developing & exploiting entrepreneurial opportunities that create value across all four pillars.
At ROWAD, the aim is to showcase, empower and rewarding entrepreneurs / startups that are contributing to each of these pillars & leading the transition to a more sustainable future.
A collaboration, developmental & networking platform on which ecosystem players - from all domains - converge to innovate, learn & grow.

​TARGET AUDIENCE

  • Aspiring entrepreneurs
  • Local entrepreneurs & start-ups
  • University students
  • High schools students
  • Ecosystem players

​MAIN ACTIVITIES

Agenda​

11.00 AM - 11.05 AM
​​
MC welcome note
11.05 AM - 11.10 AM
​​
Chairman Speech
11.10 AM - 11.15 AM
​​
Rowad Video
11.15 AM - 11.20 AM
​​
Al Fikra Finalist Video
11.20 AM - 11.25 AM
​​
Al Fikra Awarding
11.25 AM - 11.30 AM
​​
Resilient Awards
11.30 AM - 12.35 PM
​​
Opening Ceremony Panel Discussion, Moderated by TAMUQ

Panel Discussions

Discussion sessions with expert speakers in entrepreneurship and other relevant domains. The sessions tackle a variety of topics and impart valuable knowledge that entrepreneurs and SMEs can leverage to enhance their awareness and gain new experiences in order to make their entry into the business world.


Opening Ceremony Panel Discussion, Moderated by TAMUQ

Overview

A panel discussion between experts from academia and industry on how to enhance collaboration and support the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Qatar.

Date

Monday, 16th November

Time

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

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New Media Technologies and SMEs: Opportunities and Challenges

Overview

This panel discussion will provide insight and analysis on identifying key areas of opportunity for entrepreneurship based on the advancing technologies in media. It will look at virtual and augmented reality, gaming, 360-video, and others. The discussion will include more than just what technologies should be looked at, but also how they can be used and who is doing it well.

Date

Sunday, 15th November

Time

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Unlocking success in digital transformation

Overview

This panel discussion aims to understand the role of digital transformations for businesses, government and people. Digital transformations mean the adoption of digital technologies to transform businesses by replacing manual processes with digital processes or older digital technologies with newer ones. Along with automation, digital transformations induce new types of innovation to dispel traditional methods.

Date

Monday, 16th November

Time

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

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Building the Cities of Tomorrow through Transport & Telecom Innovations

Overview

Telecom and smart technology experts are coming together to explore the latest innovations shaping the future of transportation and telecommunication.
The session will focus on the crucial role technological advancements are playing in powering the infrastructure of tomorrow’s smart cities and how they will transform the way people move, connect, interact, and communicate.

Date

Tuesday, 17th November

Time

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Towards 2022: A Look into the Qatari SportsTech scene

Overview

Join us as we discuss the Qatari SportsTech Scene with the key industry players in Qatar’s booming sports industry.

Date

Wednesday, 18th November

Time

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

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The Creative Economy, Potential, and Challenges: What We Can Do to Support Emerging Designers and Startups

Overview

What can we do to support emerging designers and startups in a creative industry? Panelists will explore the basic characteristics of entrepreneurship such as opportunity recognition, problem-solving, risk-taking, resourcefulness, and passion for ideas, while showcasing Qatari/local identity.

Date

Thursday, 19th November

Time

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

Assessing business success and sustainability through data mining

Overview

This panel session will discuss how SMEs can utilize business intelligence (BI) software and services to achieve realistic sustainability goals and monitor the impact of business decisions.

Time

60 mins.

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

View Details

workshops

A series of workshops conducted by specialists in the field of entrepreneurship and relevant domains. The workshops help entrepreneurs and SMEs gain access to key information, keep abreast of the latest developments in the business arena, and harness the presenters’ real-world knowledge and vast experiences, towards facilitating their entry to the field. Attendees will also get a chance to have their questions answered by specialists, who will be sharing smart strategies and practical tips to overcome the various challenges business owners face along their journey.


Digital Transformation Journey

Overview

What SMEs should and shouldn't do when it comes to digital transformation:
- Digital innovation and strategic opportunities of platforms and ecosystems
- Value propositions and business models in the digital age
- Digital skills and talent
- Customer-centric approach and products
- Payment transformation
- The most common mistakes in digital transformation
- Success stories.

Date

Sunday 15th November

Time

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Language

Arabic (English translation available)

Watch Now

Introduction to technical standards for aspiring entrepreneurs

Overview

Technical standards, such as ASTM and ISO, are documents that provide a common thought-space to professionals from different and diverse industries to work together on important projects. During this short workshop, you will learn what standards (with focus on ASTM sustainability reference) are and how they are used in quality systems, sustainability, product testing, commercial transactions, and in research and development around the globe.

Date

Sunday 15th November

Time

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

Watch Now

Role of Qatar FinTech Hub (QFTH) in developing a sustainable FinTech economy for Qatar

Overview

We consider the newly launched QFTH FinTech programs and the role being played by QFTH in developing and supporting the Qatari FinTech ecosystem.

Date

Sunday 15th November

Time

5:00 PM - 5:30 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

Watch Now

Industrialization of QBIC Fab Lab

Overview

QBIC Fab Lab business model incorporates a strong focus on product development and ‘go-to-market’ services for users. QBIC Fab Lab business model incorporates a strong focus on product development and ‘go-to-market’ services for users.

Date

Sunday 15th November

Time

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

Watch Now

How to identify opportunities in drastic times

Overview

- Entrepreneurship journey
- How I converted my business to be sustainable
- Importance of technology
- How to improve your business.

Date

Sunday 15th November

Time

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Language

Arabic (English translation available)

Watch Now

Common mistakes when starting up and how to avoid them

Overview

Common mistakes when starting up and how to avoid them examines issues like poor or inadequate market research, weak financial planning, setting sights too high, taking your eyes off the competition, poor supplier and customer controls, and hiring the wrong people.

Date

Monday 16th November

Time

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Language

Arabic (English translation available)

Watch Now

Materials selection and eco-audit for sustainable industrial design

Overview

Explore the materials dimension of sustainable industrial design and implement quick, approximate “portraits” of energy / CO2 character of products. During this workshop, you will learn about industrial design and what role materials selection plays in revealing the eco-fingerprint of products and in suggesting approaches to making them less environmentally damaging.

Date

Monday 16th November

Time

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

Watch Now

Accelerate your startup and raise follow up investment

Overview

Includes going through post-startup launch and what you need to know to gain traction and achieve product market-fit, a key milestone to raise follow-up investment from seasoned angels and institutional investors. This is an acquisition channel for QBIC Lean Acceleration Program version 4, starting Jan 2021.

Date

Monday 16th November

Time

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

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Importance of Lean concepts in achieving a sustainable business model

Overview

We start with the introduction of the Lean principles; understanding the voice of the customer, identifying the value-added activities and their differences with non-value-added activities, how to create flow, push and pull systems, and take a quick look at the less expensive pull system on both a shop floor and in the office, identifying the importance of small but continuous improvements. The focus of the second part will be Muda; an overview of the 7+1 Muda is followed by some examples of costs generated by Muda and a methodology based on sampling, to quickly calculate how much this Muda costs within a company, finishing with a couple of examples of how to reduce this cost.

Date

Monday 16th November

Time

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

Watch Now

Breaking Through ‘In the Box’ Thinking to Drive Success

Overview

This hands-on workshop is highly interactive. It focuses on critical thinking for innovation in business, and on related creative and critical thinking skills for entrepreneurs. The facilitators assist participants in recognizing and using critical thinking skills and tools to arrive at better decisions. The short workshop has two learning objectives: a) Describe the role of critical thinking and innovation in meeting business challenges; and b) Identify the principles and tools adopted by effective critical thinkers.

Date

Tuesday 17th November

Time

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

Watch Now

Building a technology start-up from university-based innovations

Overview

The workshop will discuss important aspects of creating a technology focused start-up and will cover issues like IP, regulatory matters, and other business considerations.

Date

Tuesday 17th November

Time

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

Watch Now

QDB Advisory Services and Programs

Overview

An overview of the bank’s advisory programs and services for Qatari entrepreneurs and local SMEs, and how to avail them.

Date

Tuesday 17th November

Time

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Language

Arabic (English translation available)

Watch Now

Design for Manufacturing

Overview

Design for Manufacturing is the process of designing parts, components, or products for ease of manufacturing, with an end goal of making a better product at a lower cost. This is done by simplifying, optimizing, and refining the product design after the prototyping stage. The manufacturing process chosen must be the correct one for the part or product. You wouldn't want to use a highly capitalized process to make a low-volume part that could have been manufactured using a lower-capitalized method.

Date

Tuesday 17th November

Time

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

Watch Now

Teaching IP

Overview

In this workshop, the presenter will focus on the principle of IP commercialization from early idea creation to licensing end. The workshop includes some examples of the ideas that were created in QF, protected, and licensed to international and local stakeholders.

Date

Tuesday 17th November

Time

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

Watch Now

Mini Hackathon on Ideas for Sport Solutions

Overview

Ideation Session (Mini Hackathon) where the participants will be guided to come up with a sports solution to existing challenges in the sports industry.

Date

Tuesday 17th November

Time

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Language

English (No translation available)

Watch Now

Benchmarking Attitudes Towards Community Sustainability for Business Planning

Overview

This session will focus on the Process One community in Nova Scotia, followed by looking at benchmarking attitudes towards sustainability for a local UNESCO Bio-Reserve, Bras d'or Lakes, to enable the promotion of entrepreneurship, while focusing on the sustainability of environmental resources for the future.

Date

Wednesday 18th November

Time

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

Watch Now

How to build a prototype

Overview

The journey of building a product involves various steps to reach the level where it can be pushed to production for the mass audience. Each product has a certain target audience and solves their main points in some way. To evaluate whether the product really solves its users’ problems, an almost working model called a prototype is created and tested with the prospective users and stakeholders. In this session, we will talk about the prototyping concept from different angles, such as the measures needed to produce an output, wherein quality of output and its fitment is a huge factor, the product journey from prototyping stage to market shelf, the rapid prototyping process, and what it takes to prototype a product and prepare it for manufacturing.

Date

Wednesday 18th November

Time

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

Watch Now

Developing a Knowledge-based Economy in Qatar

Overview

We will consider the pros and cons of each region and what it takes to build a successful entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Date

Wednesday 18th November

Time

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

Watch Now

Meaningful Entrepreneurial Ideas That Can Solve problems in the market

Overview

The session will guide you and equip you with the tools needed to find meaningful entrepreneurial ideas by solving real problems in the market.

Date

Wednesday 18th November

Time

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

Watch Now

Make The Change Now: Sustainability in Fashion

Overview

This workshop will focus on the role of sustainability in the fashion world. The workshop facilitators will draw upon their vast experience to explore how sustainability can be an asset for your business, your brand and your consumer.

Date

Wednesday 18th November

Time

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

Watch Now

Technology Assessment: Machinery, Raw Materials Sourcing, Process, Quality, and Staff

Overview

Overview of technology and the process of assessment, and related issues and findings from the Qatari Market.

Date

Wednesday 18th November

Time

6:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Language

Arabic (English translation available)

Watch Now

Product design journey: from idea to prototype to life – a technical perspective

Overview

Product design and development is the key formula for success in today’s competitive market. This talk is meant to walk audiences through the product development process and organization and shed light on technical engineering aspects, which play a major role in realizing ideas into tangible real products.

Date

Thursday 19th November

Time

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

More Details

Innovation Camp

Overview

Innovation Camp provides students with the opportunity to work collaboratively to address a specific business challenge. Each team, mentored by a corporate volunteer, is given access to skills and tools to come up with innovative solutions within a limited timeframe. By the end of the day, competing teams prepare a business plan and pitch to a panel of judges for the most creative idea.

Date

Thursday 19th November

Time

3:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

More Details

The role FinTech’s play in diversifying and establishing a sustainable financial services sector

Overview

The significance of FinTech’s in supporting the ecosystem during and post the COVID-19 period.

Date

Thursday 19th November

Time

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

More Details

Business Intelligence – Using Data to generate Business Insight

Overview

Business intelligence (BI) leverages software and services to transform data into actionable insights that inform an organization’s business decisions. Rather, BI offers a way for people to examine data to understand trends and derive insights by streamlining the effort needed to search for, merge, and query the data necessary to make sound business decisions.

Date

Thursday 19th November

Time

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

More Details

Social entrepreneurship

Overview

Understand the concept of social entrepreneurship and explore its real-life scenarios, while learning about the first step you must take to implement its principles.

Date

Thursday 19th November

Time

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

More Details

Practical approach on managing the key challenges in setting up a project – common mistakes and how to avoid them

Overview

The workshop will cover the below subjects:
1. How the Planning Stage is crucial for success of the project as various subsequent stages of a project such as Planning, Organizing, Execution, Operation and Growth. 2. A summary of common mistakes made by entrepreneurs in various functional areas of a project (such as Management, Technical, Production, Procurement, Supply Chain, Legal, Finance, Maintenance, etc.). 3. For each of the mistakes, there will be one or more proven and tested ways for avoiding these problems. 4. There will be 1 or 2 case studies to show how simple mistakes made while setting up a project resulted in a huge difficulty / problems / loss for the business at a later stage.

Date

Thursday 19th November

Time

6:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Language

English (Arabic translation available)

More Details

Full Agenda