King Mswati III calls for Science Parks collaborations

By King’s Office Correspondents

DOHA, QATAR: They believe that anything is possible when the best ideas are given opportunities to deliver impact.

It is this belief that led to the creation and forms part of the driving force of the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP), a fully-fledged platform for conceiving and growing tech enterprises in Qatar, which hosted His Majesty the King, Inkhosikati LaMotsa and members of the Eswatini delegation for a tour yesterday, among whom were RSTP officials.

The tour took place on the sidelines of the 5th UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), which ends on Wednesday. According to the QSTP, the facility provides a free zone and technology park that hosts leading global tech companies, and mentors and supports a network of start-ups and rising tech ventures.

It also has a value chain of acceleration, incubation, and funding programmes. The QSTP also plays a key role in developing a technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Qatar.

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The King was shown around the facility by QSTP Planning and Strategic Initiative Director Ahmed S. Al-Enazi. In brief talks, His Majesty praised Qatar for the impressive facility, which has played an integral part in promoting economic growth in the country.

The King expressed his wish to see the QSTP develop exchange programmes with the RSTP for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
Notably, His Majesty is very keen to see the Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP) play an effective role in luring investors into the Kingdom through the Special Economic Zones hosted by the facility.

When opening Parliament recently, the King highlighted that special economic zones remain a key catalyst to stimulate economic development.

His Majesty said that while other countries have different objectives for having established these economic zones, empirical evidence shows that they are a cornerstone for economic development.

The King called for a review of the Special Economic Zones Act of 2018 to bring it in line with global requirements, and to fast-track the provision of outstanding infrastructure, such as the one-stop shop service centre, to host the relevant service providers.

“This facility should not only serve the beneficiaries of the economic zones but embrace all other investors in Eswatini,” he said.

The Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) ecosystem of the Qatar Foundation (QF) was created to place Qatar at the forefront of scientific research and technological advancement, addressing national needs while generating global impact.

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A centrepiece of this ecosystem is Qatar Science & Technology Park QSTP, which operates across four overarching themes: Energy, Environment, Health Sciences, and Information & Communication Technologies.

For a decade now, QSTP has been driving the development of new high-tech products and services, supporting the commercialization of market-ready technologies, and contributing to the economic diversification of Qatar.

It is located within Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Education City, where the QSTP is part of a unique ecosystem that comprises a cluster of eight leading international and homegrown universities, primary and secondary schools, research centres and policy institutes, various scholastic and community-focused entities, and much more.

This unique ecosystem is designed to leverage synergies across disciplines and sectors to bring new technologies, matured in Qatar, into the global marketplace.

The QSTP has a Product Development Fund (PDF) facility, which is a cost-sharing fund wherein the QSTP provides up to 50% of the total budget as a grant to encourage local startups and SMEs in the private sector to develop products and services relevant to local market needs.

[PHOTOS]: His Majesty King Mswati III and Inkhosikati LaMotsa visit the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) in Doha, Qatar, on the side-lines of the 5th UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (#LDC5). pic.twitter.com/AZCs8kslpy

— Eswatini Government (@EswatiniGovern1) March 7, 2023

The fund promotes new high-tech products and services and supports the commercialization of market-ready technologies. QSTP’s reputation as a globally renowned technology development hub is evident in the many leading international technology companies and research centres that already call it home.

By building sustained partnerships with industry-leading companies and global conglomerates, QSTP has helped bring international expertise to Qatar, which has successfully contributed to the development, implementation, and commercialization of new technologies, products, and services.

Read More: More GCC companies coming to Eswatini

The Research to Startup programme was created to support the research community in Qatar by providing a complementary pathway to commercialise intellectual property and launch new tech startups.

The program aims to bridge the divide between industry and academia by facilitating interactions between serial tech entrepreneurs and research institutes, creating new tech ventures with the ability to attract investors and license intellectual property developed in Qatar.

QSTP is located on the north campus of the Qatar Foundation’s flagship project, Education City. The park is only a 20-minute drive from the West Bay area and 20 kilometres from Hamad International Airport.