- QSTP hosted a three-day program for university students focused on tech innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Shugyla Karshygakyzy won first place with her AI platform aimed at enhancing engagement for social media content creators.
- Winners received mentorship, fast-tracked access to innovation programs, and prizes such as an iPad Pro and AirPods.
Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), part of Qatar Foundation (QF), recently organized a three-day program to introduce university students to tech innovation and entrepreneurship. The program included a series of workshops focused on AI-based product development, the craft of pitching, and one-on-one mentorship. It concluded with a first-of-its-kind ‘pitching’ competition held on a moving tram around QF’s Education City.
The first edition of the ‘QSTP Ride and Pitch’ program, open to QF partner universities, drew keen participation from students at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q), Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q), Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar (WCM-Q), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), and Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ). Students represented various countries, including Qatar, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, India, Kazakhstan, Japan, and the US.
Throughout the program, students learned how to develop and enhance their entrepreneurial ideas under the guidance of nine mentors, including business founders, professors, senior researchers, and consultants.
Among the mentors were Bashar Hudhud, Co-Founder of the QSTP-incubated startup Class Tap; Mohammed Zebian, Acceleration Program Manager at QSTP; and Rayane Fodil, Head of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Innovation Cafe Consultancy.
On the final day of the program, the students competed in a two-minute pitch in front of a panel of judges, three of whom were on the tram with the participants, while two watched live. The one-hour tram ride familiarized students with the thrill, unpredictability, and agility that startup founders often face as part of their journey.
One of the judges, Hamad Al Hajri, Founder & CEO of Snoonu, appreciated the initiative, saying he thoroughly enjoyed the pitching competition. “In the world of innovation, everything has to be innovative. The pitching competition inside a tram reflects how startups operate in real life. The constant movement, including shaking and bumping, while students tried to balance themselves—this is what startups experience daily.”
“I think most of us as judges came in thinking we would inspire the participants, but they actually inspired us. They have given us hope that many intelligent ideas from young people are just waiting to be discovered. It is important that these young people have the resources and support they need, not just from the government but also from the private sector, to flourish and benefit the local tech innovation ecosystem,” he added.
Dr. Jack Lau, President of QSTP, stated, “This was the most innovative pitching event I have ever attended, taking advantage of what is indigenous to Qatar, QF, and Education City. I am grateful to QF for their support and equally proud of our team for organizing this wonderful event that presented students with a memorable experience.”
“Pitching their ideas in an unconventional environment was part of the challenge participants had to face. We wanted this experience to be as realistic as possible, with unexpected and uncertain occurrences. For instance, there might have been an unstable internet connection or a noisy atmosphere, but these were meant to create a curveball for the participants, and they all did a wonderful job. We have received amazing feedback and are already preparing for the next, bigger edition of the program, which we plan to open up to all universities in Qatar.”
The first-place winner of the competition, Shugyla Karshygakyzy, a sophomore student from NU-Q, hailed the program as an ‘eye-opening experience.’ “I am grateful for the opportunity provided to us as part of the QSTP Ride and Pitch program. People around me were very supportive and encouraging. I truly appreciate the guidance I received from the mentors during the mentorship workshops, as well as the opportunities to network and build connections.”
Shugyla’s idea is to leverage AI to tackle the issue of low engagement, views, and likes on Instagram and TikTok for content creators. She aims to create a platform that combines various AI tools to assist with everything from content strategy and editing to posting on these platforms. “For someone who doesn’t come from a strong tech background, it was amazing to learn from experts and see the possibility of turning my idea into reality,” said Shugyla.
HBKU student Muhammad Saad and WCM-Q student Lujain Al-Emadi won second and third places, respectively. In addition to free mentorship hours with QSTP experts and a special booth at QSTP’s upcoming AI Week 2024, the winners received the opportunity to fast-track into QSTP Innovation Programs to launch their startups and find relevant support. The first-place winner walked away with an iPad Pro, while the second and third place winners received AirPods.
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Last Updated on September 21, 2024 by Safiya K
