Doha - Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) Innovation Center marked the halfway point in the second cycle of its Education City Innovative Entrepreneurship Program (ECIEP) with a graduation and awards ceremony.

Held at Education City’s Minaretein, the ceremony celebrated the conclusion of ECIEP’s Capacity Building Workshops. Organized in partnership with the Qatar Development Bank (QDB), participants from 15 teams undertook a range of capacity building activities designed specifically to strengthen their entrepreneurial skills. Every team also competed for a share of ECIEP’s Entrepreneurship Program Funds, which are allocated to the five most promising business plans.

In the presence of HBKU’s deans, executive directors, and senior QDB staff, the Innovation Center certified all participants in the Capacity Building Workshops and awarded Entrepreneurship Program Funds. Several HBKU faculty and research staff were honored, including Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute’s Dr. Rashad Al-Gaashani, Scientist; the College of Health and Life Sciences’ Dr. Kabir H Biswas, Assistant Professor; and the College of Science and Engineering’s Dr. Tanvir Alam, Assistant Professor, and Dr. Jens Schneider, Assistant Professor in the College of Science and Engineering. Additionally, the Innovation Center recognized Boshra Rasti Ghalati, a Teacher at Qatar Academy for Science and Technology, Qatar Foundation.

Speaking after the conclusion of the ceremony, Nada Al Balam, Senior Entrepreneurship Specialist, Innovation Center, said: “On behalf of everyone at HBKU, I’d like to congratulate all participants for successfully completing the Capacity Building Workshops. The diversity of businesses and ideas presented over the course of the program reflect HBKU’s and Qatar Foundation’s rapidly evolving entrepreneurial culture and landscape. Selecting the recipients for the Entrepreneurship Program Funds was by no means an easy task, with every entry making a competitive case for funding. We wish all participants well with their future business endeavors.”

Launched in 2022, the Education City Innovative Entrepreneurship Program supports innovative entrepreneurs within Qatar Foundation, the development of an entrepreneurship ecosystem and the realization of innovative business ideas. The program is designed as a long-term initiative in which participants are empowered to commercialize their businesses.

An initiative of the Office of Innovation and Industrial Relations (OIIR), HBKU’s Innovation Center strengthens the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem within and outside the university. It serves as a platform for connecting people and sharing ideas, resources, and expertise, providing opportunities for meaningfully unique collaborations.

About Hamad Bin Khalifa University

Innovating Today, Shaping Tomorrow

Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development (QF), was founded in 2010 as a research-intensive university that acts as a catalyst for transformative change in Qatar and the region while having global impact. Located in Education City, HBKU is committed to building and cultivating human capacity through an enriching academic experience, innovative ecosystem, and unique partnerships. HBKU delivers multidisciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs through its colleges, and provides opportunities for research and scholarship through its institutes and centers. For more information about HBKU, visit www.hbku.edu.qa.