Doha, January 13 (QNA) - Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), a member of Qatar Foundation, in partnership with Merck, a leading science and technology company, announced the launch of the QSTP x Merck FemTech Accelerator, a dedicated accelerator designed to support deep tech and impact driven FemTech startups addressing critical unmet needs in women's health and transforming health outcomes for women across the MENA region.

The program will identify and support up to 30 leading FemTech startups developing breakthrough solutions across key women's health domains, focusing on innovations powered by artificial intelligence, robotics, and materials science. Selected companies will receive access to advanced scaling support, market entry pathways, and clinically aligned pilot opportunities to support commercial expansion into Qatar, with pathways to scale across the wider region.

Beyond supporting individual startups, the initiative is designed to generate and track measurable impact at scale, aligned with Qatar Foundation's mission to improve women's health outcomes across the region. Through a multi-country approach, the QSTP x Merck FemTech Accelerator will enable deep-tech startups to be piloted, validated, and adopted across multiple markets, addressing women's health challenges at both regional and global levels.

Leveraging QSTP's innovation ecosystem and Merck's global scientific and healthcare expertise, selected startups will benefit from curated mentorship, exposure to regional healthcare stakeholders, and opportunities to explore collaboration within Qatar's health and research landscape. The accelerator will also facilitate engagement with relevant national institutions and ecosystem partners.

Aligned with Qatar Foundation's innovation and healthcare priorities, the accelerator aims to position the country as a regional and global hub for women's health innovation, while addressing the urgent need for greater investment, research, and commercialization in FemTech, one of the fastest growing and most impactful sectors in global health echnology.

Rama Chakaki, President, QSTP, said: “At QSTP, we believe that meaningful innovation is inclusive. This accelerator is designed to support high-potential startups and generate measurable, scalable impact on women's health across multiple markets. Leveraging Qatar's growing innovation ecosystem alongside Merck's global scientific leadership, we are creating pathways for FemTech solutions to be piloted, validated, and adopted at regional and global scale.”

Ahmed Aboelfadl, General Manager, Gulf, Merck, said: “Women's health remains one of the most under-addressed areas in healthcare innovation globally. Through this partnership with QSTP, Merck is proud to support the growth of FemTech companies developing science- and technology-led solutions that can meaningfully improve health outcomes for women. By combining global scientific expertise with regional collaboration, this initiative will help accelerate innovation, enable real-world impact, and strengthen the ecosystem for women's health across Qatar and the wider MENA region.”

The program will feature an intensive two-week immersion in Doha, where selected founders will engage with stakeholders from Qatar's healthcare ecosystem, including clinicians, regulators, investors, and innovation leaders, to validate market opportunities and prepare for commercialization. Following the initial program phase, top-performing startups will be invited to pursue pilot projects within Qatar and the wider MENA region, enabling real-world testing, clinical validation, and clear pathways to scale in priority regional markets. (QNA)