Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) Innovation Center has announced the first five winners of its Entrepreneurship Program Fund (EPF). Each awardee will receive kickstarter funding of QR 100,000 to advance their entrepreneurship projects.

The five awardees are:

IQemoQarar - Majed Hadid, PhD Student in Logistics and Supply Chain Management graduate, College of Science and Engineering (CSE), for an artificial intelligence-based decision-support application tool that uses clinical and patient health data to address booking, scheduling, and workload issues to meet the standards of cancer treatment services in Qatar.

SUNPave - Eng. Mohammad AlGammal, Technical Lab Coordinator, Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ), for a revolutionary patented solar panel technology that generates as much energy as existing solar panels with 10-15% less energy costs (with even more savings in some applications) without the need to dedicate land areas, disturb landscapes or build high frames.

ISalati - Dr. David Yang, Associate Professor, CSE, for an EdTech patented interactive platform that aims to enrich children’s spiritual and social lives by engaging them in a commonly practiced activity - the Islamic prayer -  with the help of artificial intelligence and social networking technologies.

QOOT Qatar - Dr. Sa’d Shannak, Scientist, Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), for an innovative market research and decision-making support tool that addresses different layers of the challenge of food security and supply. It also supports managing logistics and supplies for sustainable products, and facilitates linking points of demands with food suppliers.

Q Green - Dr. Ameni Boumaiza, Scientist, QEERI, for an online trading platform for green energy trading between consumers and prosumers that will offer a secure, convenient, and robust trading market for people and organizations who intend to consume or sell renewable electricity.

After receiving his award, Dr. Shannak said: “QOOT Qatar strives to present an indispensable mechanism to support the backend logistics and supply chains that are now vital for delivering on the long-lived promise of a more sustainable planet. It’s our honor to have been chosen for the EPF 2022 award and we look forward to collaborating with our industry partners to see it through.”

Speaking on behalf of the EdTech project, Dr. Yang said: “It’s fundamentally important to employ the best of what AI has to offer in strengthening our youth’s spiritual journey. AI technologies can help underscore the importance of self-awareness and deploy new -- and improved -- processes to achieve this intended goal.”

The EPF aims to support Qatar Foundation (QF) entrepreneurs with realizing their industry-driven innovations and is exclusive to participants of the Education City (EC) Innovative Entrepreneurship Program, managed by the Innovation Center. 

The five winners were selected from among the 15 entrepreneurs who took part in the first round of the Entrepreneurship Program Fund, among them faculty, scientists, students, and senior administrators from CSE, QEERI, Qatar Foundation, and Education City partner universities including TAMUQ, Georgetown University in Qatar, and Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar. During this first phase, participants had the opportunity to complete a series of training workshops and lectures, gaining access to theoretical knowledge, resources, and networks to unlock their innovation potential. 

Building on the insights and practical skills they developed during the training, the five funded projects will now develop their business ideas further and have a chance to pitch these at a Demo Day in mid-2023.