SPIEF 2021: Doha Hall to explore innovation priorities of Qatar, Russia

Tribune News Network Doha Tracking of innovations will take the centrestage at the Doha Hall, a unique business platform being organised by Qatar at the th...

Tribune News NetworkDohaTracking of innovations will take the centrestage at the Doha Hall, a unique business platform being organised by Qatar at the three-day St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that will begin in the Russian port city on Wednesday.Leading experts in the field of innovation and digital transformation will discuss the main innovation priorities of Qatar and Russia, ways to achieve the global sustainable development by means of open innovation policy, as well as potential for the development of cross-country high-tech, knowledge-intensive and digital projects.The kick-off day on June 2 will be dedicated to discussions on “Innovation and Global Health: a Wealth of Opportunity in Entrepreneurship” with the focus on “Health Tech & Med Tech: telemedicine, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and big data”. At the session, a key player in the development of the technology, innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Qatar, the Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), together with Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), will deliberate how to ensure sufficient funding to meet up with the growing demand for innovation and what reforms are required in order to further mobilize advanced business models.Dr. Ahmad M Hasnah, President of HBKU, said, “We welcome the opportunity to take part in SPIEF and highlight how HBKU’s innovation-driven research is serving Qatar in building a competitive knowledge-based economy. In the interest of contributing joint solutions to current global challenges, we look forward to being a part of international dialogue that examines the changing dynamics between human capital, culture, and technologies and how it can drive sustainable international economic development. With Qatar identified as this year’s guest country, SPIEF will be an invaluable opportunity to build on HBKU’s engagements and cooperation with educational institutions in Russia which form part of our global outreach efforts.”Qatar Development Bank (QDB), being one of the key players in the Qatari business system, has contributed to the inclusion of Qatari startups in the Skolkovo “Soft Landing program”. The project supports foreign startups in efficient creation of enterprises, focused on growth in the Russian market, and provides them with an access to local partners and investors.Innovative ecosystems have the potential to drive future growth of countries, boosting productivity and developing a more highly-skilled workforce. During the session on June 2, the experts from “Russia – Qatar Innovation Dialogue” will discuss best practice, lessons and challenges in transforming economic landscapes to become more innovation-driven. Panellists will also discuss the tools and regulatory environment that countries can adopt to build their innovation ecosystems. “Innovation will serve as an important future growth driver for Qatar, creating opportunities for local and international talent and helping to solve some of our most unique and pressing challenges. We look forward to solutions developed by talent in Qatar to boost our economic competitiveness and contribute to the advancement of global technologies. As a Council, we work closely with numerous RDI actors to mobilise leadership across government, industry, research and academia to transform Qatar’s RDI ecosystem over the coming decade. With its state-endorsed 10-year national RDI strategy, Qatar will enhance its positioning as a hub for local and international corporates, start-ups and SMEs to engage and locate their R&D-based activities.”Omar Ali Al-Ansari, Secretary General, Qatar Research, Development and Innovation CouncilInnovative production plays a significant role in the pursuit of sustainable development. In addition, value chains, supply chains, and market relations are undergoing constant changes, so business models have to be able to adapt promptly. During the session on June 2, the experts from “Russia – Qatar Innovation Dialogue” will discuss the sustainable development – being a great challenge and a unique opportunity at the same time. One of the pivots of the upcoming dialogue will be the Qatar University (QU) which has proven to be a forefront of research, development and innovation in Qatar, uniting under its wing more than 15 full-scale interdisciplinary research centers.“The Qatar University is one of the leading universities in the Arab world in supporting scientific research. It provides an enabling environment for the creation of a culture of research and innovation, as it allows its members to contribute to the enrichment of knowledge by providing state-of-the-art research facilities and laboratories. The University pays special attention to the development of cooperation with local, regional and international research institutes,” said Dr Hareb Mohammed Al-Jabri, Manager, Departments of Research Planning and Development, Innovation and Intellectual Property, Qatar University.