Media City Qatar and Qatar Development Bank Partner to Boost Media Entrepreneurship and Creative Talent in Qatar
Doha, Qatar: Media City Qatar and Qatar Development Bank (QDB) have joined forces through a Cooperation Agreement aimed at strengthening Qatar’s creative and cultural industries ecosystem. This initiative is set to advance innovation, nurture global talent, and expand opportunities for startups within the media sector. The agreement was signed during the third day of the 2025 ‘Qatar Economic Forum, Powered by Bloomberg’. This landmark partnership exemplifies a united effort to propel media entrepreneurship in Qatar.
The agreement delineates a robust framework for supporting Qatar’s media and creative economy across six strategic areas. These include collaborative initiatives to identify and bolster large-scale media productions that align with national cultural and export priorities. A significant aspect of the partnership is the launch of a co-branded acceleration program, in collaboration with QDB’s Creative and Cultural Industries Hub (SCALE7). This program is structured to equip startups with practical support through workshops, masterclasses, hackathons, and pitching events. The aim is to highlight high-potential ventures and connect them with premier investors and industry leaders.
As part of the agreement, Media City Qatar has been designated as an official partner in QDB’s Talent Community Program. This partnership will assist startups in attracting and retaining creative talent. Both entities will share opportunities, explore potential co-investments, and facilitate the growth of startups regionally and beyond. Moreover, Media City Qatar and QDB are set to promote the Startup Qatar Investment Program, collaborate on events, and engage with key partners to enhance these initiatives.
Eng. Jassim Mohamed Al Khori, CEO of Media City Qatar, expressed: “Our commitment to startups is by design; over 60% of our 200+ licensed companies are startups. Partnering with Qatar Development Bank is a strategic progression in our quest to cultivate a vibrant culture of media entrepreneurship in Qatar. This Cooperation Agreement aims to accelerate the growth of our current and future licensed companies. By combining our strategic platforms with QDB’s startup expertise and investment channels, we are crafting real pathways for media entrepreneurs to scale and innovate. This will empower them to produce content that contributes meaningfully to the country’s creative GDP.”
Abdulrahman Hesham Al Sowaidi, CEO of Qatar Development Bank, stated: “This partnership represents a shared vision for creating the next generation of media entrepreneurs who will shape Qatar’s creative economy. Our collaboration with Media City Qatar enriches the national startup ecosystem with creative talent poised for expansion, directly contributing to building the knowledge-based economy and achieving Qatar’s 2030 objectives. The agreement also paves the way for establishing the first media sector accelerator under our Creative and Cultural Industries hub, Scale7, aimed at fostering innovation across the national media landscape.”
This collaboration extends beyond talent development, enhancing the capacity to support ambitious media ventures and fast-tracking their progress to regional and global relevance. The partnership also facilitates promoting the Startup Qatar Investment Program further, providing an investment platform tailored for media-sector startups.
As the official partner of the Forum, Media City Qatar continues to form impactful partnerships that generate new value for Qatar’s media sector and contribute to the overarching goals of Qatar National Vision 2030, focusing on a knowledge-based economy.
About Media City Qatar:
Media City Qatar is an emerging, collaborative global hub for media companies, entrepreneurs, and creative talent, setting the standard in the media industry, significantly contributing to Qatar’s economic diversification. It accelerates the evolution of regional media, establishing a dynamic and innovative ecosystem where exceptional ideas and content flourish. Media City Qatar was founded to simplify regulatory processes, foster business growth, and unlock investment opportunities to bolster Qatar’s media landscape through its regulatory, developmental, and investment mandates.
Media City Qatar is dedicated to creating a supportive environment and a hub for traditional and digital media, technology, communications, research, and development. From broadcasting to traditional and digital newspapers, gaming to user-generated content, and advancing AI and other cutting-edge technologies, Media City Qatar welcomes businesses across various media segments to join in Doha.
About Qatar Development Bank:
Founded in 1997, Qatar Development Bank (QDB) focuses primarily on enhancing industrial development and supporting private sector economic diversification in Qatar. Over the years, QDB has evolved into the primary support entity for the private sector in Qatar, acting as a crucial catalyst for socio-economic development. Through three main pillars—access to finance, markets, and capacity building—QDB provides a comprehensive support system, including financing options, advisory services, legal advisory, mentoring, and capacity-building platforms.
This integrated approach has established QDB as an essential partner in the growth journey of SMEs, from concept to export, enabling them to compete both nationally and internationally, ultimately contributing to Qatar’s economic vision for 2030. QDB is also focused on digital transformation in SMEs and the business environment, facilitating easier entrepreneurial and SME engagement with new economic opportunities and setting QDB on the path to becoming a digital future-focused institution.
