Attendees during a panel discussion at QatarDebate Centre.
DOHA: QatarDebate Centre, a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, organised the second panel on Qatar Debates themed, 'From Dream to Reality: Qatar’s Entrepreneurs Journey'.
Moderated by Co-Founder of Nuzul Interior Design Dana Al Naimah, the panel drew a contingent of those interested in entrepreneurship and innovation and laid out numerous inspiring ideas and enriched discussions that highlighted the most salient challenges that beset entrepreneurs throughout their career, along with the success stories that manifest their contributions in charting the future of national economy.
Among those engaged was founder of the jewellery brand Jemma, Maryam Al Khaleefa, who stated that jewellery is not merely a decoration but rather signifies the identity and culture, with each piece being designed to reflect women’s taste and their privacy, blending art, craftsmanship, and story.
Founder of the Autism Parents Platform Hamda Al Hitmi asserted that entrepreneurships are not solely devoted to making gains, but to forging awareness and integrated spaces that bolster societal bonds.
Co-founder and CEO of the Alfaytri Trading and Maintenance Company and Founder of Mechanic, Ahmed Al Sumaiti, highlighted that fusing engineering with entrepreneurship opens the field for practical innovations that serve a variety of sectors, with founder and managing director of SkipCash and co-founder of PayLater, Mohammed Al Delaimi, noting that digital transformation has become an indispensable imperative because it liberally accelerates performance and reduces costs, which, at the end of the day, helps expand the scope of business and achieves growth for enterprises.
For his part, Abdullah Al Mana, founder of a local cafe chain, emphasised that every single venture starts with a dream and is morphed into an impactful symbol through sheer will, culminating in hitting the global stage.
The panel was interspersed with a striking interaction from the attendees, who inquired about numerous aspects that transform ideas into success stories in entrepreneurship.
The takeaways from this panel were kinds of outcomes that shape an inspiring roadmap for budding entrepreneurs.
As such, the participants recommended the importance of belief in ideas and accordingly embarking on clear and minor steps, coupled with keenness to advance and amend the pathway, in addition to reviewing others’ experiences and figuring out the local market needs. In addition, the participants stressed the need to forge robust professional relationships, affirming that failure is a core part of the success journey, as the latter is achieved by focusing on quality and building a long-term venture.
As the panel wrapped up, Director of Programmes at QatarDebate, Abdulrahman Al Subaie, emphasised that investing in youth is an investment in Qatar’s future, as long as young people drive innovation and lead change in a wide swath of fields. He stressed that offering a supportive environment for their ideas and ambitions is a national importance to build a knowledge-based economy.
