Washington, October 04 (QNA) - The Government Communications Office (GCO) and the Embassy of the State of Qatar in the United States organised a promotional event to build on strong US participation in Web Summit Qatar and drive further engagement ahead of its fourth edition, taking place in Doha from 31 January to 3 February 2027.

The event welcomed representatives from Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, and TechMet, alongside investors, entrepreneurs, and start-ups.

The program featured 12 speakers, representing leading entities from Qatar and the United States, with discussions on building global partnerships for investment, innovation, and growth, start-up success stories, and the role of smart capital in supporting the next generation of companies.

The event aimed to build on strong US participation in the previous edition of the summit in Qatar and deepen engagement with the US technology and investment ecosystem. It also sought to support wider international participation in the summit and create more opportunities for companies, investors, and entrepreneurs from Qatar and the United States to connect.

HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the United States of America Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad Al-Thani said: “Qatar and the United States share a longstanding strategic partnership, with technology and innovation becoming increasingly important pillars of our cooperation.”

His Excellency added: “US companies and start-ups had a strong presence at Web Summit Qatar 2026, and this second runway event builds on that engagement ahead of the 2027 edition, connecting founders and investors with partnerships and growth opportunities in Qatar and across the region.”

During a panel session, Director of Studies and Strategic Planning at the GCO Soud Ahmed Al Boinin said: "Last year's event was a great turnout for us, and that is why we are continuing the Runway, not only in DC. We are going to Paris this week. Of the attendees at last year's Runway event, 40% ended up coming to Doha and enjoying the event. I think it is a testament to the great efforts the country has put in and the great partner we have in Web Summit."

He added: "We wanted to take the opportunity to highlight the US as the most active national presence at Web Summit Qatar. Around 22% of our partners come from the US, whether Snapchat, Amazon, Microsoft, or Google."

Al Boinin continued: "Qatar has tripled the capital behind its start-up ecosystem over the last two years. People in the region had been looking for an event like this for some time, and since Web Summit arrived, demand has kept growing, with 85% of the startups coming from abroad. Our aim is to become the technology hub of the region, with the right tools in place to deliver on that."

Chief Strategy Officer at Invest Qatar Dr Hamad Rashid Al Naimi said: "We spoke today about the benefits US companies can unlock by coming to Qatar, from connecting with the Qatari ecosystem and prototyping solutions to building in Qatar and then scaling to the region. We are here to highlight the Qatari investment ecosystem and the benefits it offers foreign companies setting up businesses in Qatar."

He added: "Founders should use Web Summit Qatar as a platform to come to Qatar, meet the stakeholders, investors, founders, and companies of the local ecosystem under one roof, and discover the benefits of the Start-up Qatar program. At Invest Qatar, we help them connect with local stakeholders, understand the market dynamics and licensing pathways, and establish their businesses, and we support them as they grow and scale into the region."

In his turn, Chief Events Officer at Web Summit Craig Becker said: "We identified that the Middle East was a very important part of the world. Once we started getting into conversations with Qatar, what became unbelievably evident is that a city has to have a world-class venue. It has to have an international airport that is very well connected to the world, and it needs good infrastructure for people to move around. Of course, Qatar has that."

He added: "What really stood out for us was the incredible depth of energy in the community, from the GCO through to all of the other stakeholders. Everybody is committed to making the world understand what opportunities are. Everybody involved in the ecosystem is pulling in the same direction, and some of the barriers that might normally have been a problem for businesses to get going and get traction are being removed to make it easier."

In a statement, Founder and CEO of Breshna.io Mariam Nusrat said: "I truly believe that Qatar has been monumental to our business growth. I can trace a lot of our B2B partnerships back to Doha."

She added: "What stands out about Qatar to me is that it backs the human behind the business. The infrastructure is set up for international entrepreneurs to make it home, not just to build in Qatar, but to build for the Gulf."

Upcoming Runway to Web Summit Qatar events will take place in Paris, Berlin, Dusseldorf, and Stockholm, bringing together technology communities, investors, founders, and business leaders ahead of their participation in the summit's fourth edition in Doha. The summit forms part of Qatar's efforts to build a thriving digital economy and consolidate its status as a leading destination for innovation. (QNA)