In November-December 2020 Silicon Valley Forum partnered with the Embassy of Qatar in the US and the
US Qatar Business Council (USQBC) for a webinar series exploring the government programs, trends, and opportunities for US companies in the State of Qatar. While small in size, Qatar has an ambitious plan to revolutionize its economy; our webinar series focused on two of the key areas of development: smart cities and innovations in food & agriculture. Both are high areas of priority for the government, with multiple opportunities for US companies to play a role in developing the infrastructure and innovations needed to achieve the country’s goals. The series, “Qatar in Focus” is available online.
Qatar in Focus: Smarter Countries & Thriving Communities in the Digital Age – Watch it here
The first webinar in this series was highlighted by remarks from H.E. Mrs. Reem Mohammed Al-Mansoori, Assistant Undersecretary of Digital Society Development in the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Reem Al Mansoori has more than two decades of experience in digital transformation in Qatar’s government after spearheading initiatives in technological advancement and capacity building. In her remarks, she outlined her office’s work in developing the ICT industry and in particular the
TASMU Smart Qatar Program, which aims to reshape the ways in which people work, live and communicate. This first session also provided a case study from
Msheireb Properties on their developments within Qatar, and remarks from the
Qatar Financial Centre and the Qatar Development Bank. Together, they highlighted the coordinated fashion in which they addressed the long-term initiatives of the government and the opportunities for global technology companies.
Qatar in Focus: Building Smart & Resilient Food Systems – Watch it here
The second session in this series focused on the food security and safety issues facing Qatar, how local companies are reacting, and the potential for US technology companies to play a role. The session began with remarks from Fahad AL Dosari, Commercial Attaché, Embassy of the State of Qatar in Washington, DC, where he highlighted some of the key developments in Qatar’s food security plan. The session also featured a briefing from Arable Labs, highlighting their work in similar climates and use cases for Qatar, particularly in the area of water conservation. The discussion also included a discussion with Hassad Food and the Qatar Development Bank on their plan to improve food safety and security in Qatar, as well as the role of innovation.
Silicon Valley Forum is proud to continue supporting our work with international governments, connecting them with the innovation sector of Silicon Valley and discovering partnerships to advance broader goals. As outlined by the State of Qatar, ambitious plans call for international collaboration, particularly around innovation We look forward to working with the government again in the future to advance its goals and further connect them with the Silicon Valley ecosystem.
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