Doha, November 08 (QNA) - Qatar University (QU), the official education partner of MWC Doha 2026, announced Sunday its Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Knowledge Transfer Ecosystem at MWC26 Doha, alongside four licensing agreements with Qatar-based companies.

The ecosystem sets out how QU turns ideas and research into practical solutions, while the licenses, covering coral reef restoration, rapid norovirus testing and antimicrobial hydrogels, demonstrate how that approach is being put into practice.

Vice President for Research and Innovation at QU Prof. Aiman Erbad announced the Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Knowledge Transfer Ecosystem, which brings four QU units together to support an idea from its earliest stage to its use in the market and society.

Prof. Erbad said: "Qatar National Vision 2030 places innovation at the heart of the country's move to a competitive, diversified and innovative economy, and calls for university research to reach the market faster. This ecosystem is how QU answers that call: it gives every idea a clear route, whether it becomes a license, a startup, a consulting service or an industry partnership. We are inviting the companies and institutions at MWC Doha 2026 to work with us on the challenges they want solved."

Projects can follow different routes, from licensing and industry partnerships to consulting services and startups, depending on their needs. QU is also preparing an Innovation Oasis for prototyping and a single digital platform for its innovation services. The ecosystem supports Qatar National Vision 2030's goal of a diversified, knowledge-based economy.

Associate Vice President for Innovation and Development at QU Prof. Saud Abdulaziz Abdulghani announced four licensing agreements. The agreements give two Qatari companies the right to develop and commercialize patented and patent-pending QU technologies. They mark a significant step in QU's efforts to translate intellectual property into tangible impact, commercialization and industry collaboration.

Seascaping LLC holds exclusive GCC licenses to two marine technologies from QU's Environmental Science Center. The Mushroom Forest Artificial Reef is a modular reef that gives corals a stable base to grow and supports marine life. The Deployment Frame lowers several reef units to the seabed at once without divers, making large-scale restoration practical.

RapidDX Biotech LLC holds non-exclusive licenses to two health technologies. NorTest, licensed across the GCC, is a rapid test for norovirus, a leading cause of stomach illness and foodborne outbreaks, that can be carried out on site, without sending samples to a central laboratory.

The second technology, licensed across the GCC and Jordan, is a family of silver-containing inorganic magnesium phosphate hydrogels for skin and wound care, which have shown antibacterial and wound-healing benefits in experimental models.

Commenting on the announcement, Prof. Abdulghani said: "Qatar University has built a growing intellectual property portfolio of more than 150 registered patents, reflecting the strength of our research and innovation capabilities. We are also focusing on translating these innovations into practical solutions that can benefit society and the economy. These four licensing agreements mark an important step in that direction, creating opportunities for Qatari companies to further develop university technologies and bring them closer to the market."

At MWC26 Doha, QU is presenting research technologies and live demonstrations focused on challenges in healthcare, cybersecurity and intelligent systems. The showcase connects researchers with industry and other partners to explore collaboration and advance these technologies toward practical use. (QNA)