Executive Producer of Stars of Science, Andrea Hamilton
Doha, Qatar: As applications open for Season 18 of Stars of Science, Qatar Foundation’s flagship innovation platform is embarking on what its producers describe as the most significant transformation in the programme’s nearly two-decade history.
The new season introduces an updated format with a stronger focus on venture-building, emerging technologies, innovation storytelling, and the next generation of Arab innovators shaping the future. Applications are open until June 26, 2026, for aspiring entrepreneurs, engineers, scientists, designers, creators, and problem-solvers aged 18–35 from across the Arab world and the global Arab diaspora.
For Executive Producer of Stars of Science, Andrea Hamilton the reinvention reflects both the programme’s legacy and the changing aspirations of young innovators in the region.
“The biggest change is the depth of storytelling and the scale of the world we are building around it,” Hamilton said told The Peninsula in correspondence. “This season we have created a large virtual set that lets us bring each innovator’s idea to life visually, something that hasn’t really been done in unscripted television before.”
The production will also follow contestants beyond the studio, filming them in their home countries alongside the families and communities that helped shape their journeys.
“What motivated it is simple,” Hamilton said. “Stars of Science carries nearly two decades of cultural weight and has supported more than 175 innovators from across the Arab world. The aspirations of young people in the region have moved on, and the show needs to move with them.”
Over nearly 20 years, Stars of Science has championed Arab innovation, entrepreneurship, and scientific advancement on an international stage, helping innovators transform ideas into ventures, technologies, and solutions that address real-world challenges.
Central to Season 18 is a renewed emphasis on storytelling. Hamilton believes innovation becomes truly impactful when audiences connect with the people behind the ideas.
“Ideas don’t change the world on their own – people do,” she said. “Storytelling is how you make innovation human, and human is how you make it accessible.”
According to Hamilton, innovation itself naturally lends itself to compelling narratives. “An innovator’s journey already has everything a great narrative needs: a goal, obstacles, setbacks, breakthroughs and a deadline. When you tell that truthfully, you don’t just identify talent, you nurture it.”
As artificial intelligence and emerging technologies reshape industries worldwide, the programme is looking beyond technical expertise alone.
“Technical skill matters, but it has never been the whole story,” Hamilton said. “What sets an innovator apart is increasingly the human qualities: curiosity, resilience, and the creativity to apply technology to a problem worth solving.”
That search for purpose-driven innovators begins with the casting process. Grivas Kopti, Head of Casting for Stars of Science, says the strongest applicants are not necessarily those with the most advanced prototypes.
“We are looking for individuals who have identified a meaningful problem and are deeply committed to solving it,” he said. “The strongest candidates combine technical curiosity with resilience, creativity, and a clear sense of purpose.”
Kopti encourages aspiring innovators not to rule themselves out because they lack a finished product or formal credentials.
“Do not disqualify yourself before giving us the chance to discover your potential,” he said. “Some of the most remarkable journeys on Stars of Science have started with an early-stage idea and a determined individual willing to take a chance.”
Drawing from his own experience, Kopti added: “I am a Palestinian refugee, raised in Lebanon and moved to London aged seven with my family, so it is truly a dream come true and a career highlight to discover a new generation of Arab innovators for Stars of Science. I know firsthand that resilience, determination and a creative spirit can uplift communities and improve the lives of many.”
This season’s search spans both the Arab world and the global Arab diaspora, with particular interest in innovators working in AI, climate and sustainability technologies, advanced healthcare, smart agriculture, clean energy, transport solutions, and digital transformation.
“What excites us most is seeing how innovators are responding to the challenges and opportunities shaping our region and the world,” Kopti said. “Ultimately, we are not just searching for great inventions; we are searching for the next generation of innovators who can shape the future.”
For Hamilton, the programme’s greatest achievement has been changing perceptions about where innovation can come from.
“After eighteen seasons, the real legacy isn’t only the companies and technologies that have come out of the show,” she said. “It’s the number of young people across the region who now believe their own idea is worth pursuing.”
As applications remain open, Kopti has a final message for aspiring innovators, “Every season reminds us that innovation can come from anywhere. Our role is to find individuals with the vision, determination, and potential to turn bold ideas into reality.”
