In a landmark development that signals a new era in global deep-tech innovation, the Institute for Deep Tech Innovation (DEEP) at ESMT Berlin has entered a strategic partnership with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and the Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council (QRDI). This collaboration aims to extend DEEP’s influential footprint by inaugurating a new branch—DEEP Qatar—positioned to propel technology transfer and innovation initiatives between Europe and the Middle East. This bold venture establishes Doha as a central hub where pioneering research, entrepreneurship, and deep science converge to foster the transformation of scientific discoveries into scalable global enterprises.
DEEP Qatar’s establishment is a milestone in Qatar’s ongoing evolution into a science and innovation nucleus. Harnessing Qatar’s rapidly growing scientific ecosystem, the institute is designed to empower a dynamic network of scientists, research organizations, startups, and innovators. With its comprehensive support model, DEEP Qatar will catalyze the commercialization of cutting-edge technological advancements originating within Qatar and the broader Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. The institute is structured to bridge knowledge and resource gaps, facilitating a seamless cross-border innovation exchange with Germany’s world-class research and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
At the core of this partnership lies the launch of the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) in Doha, marking its inaugural foray into the GCC and Asian markets. CDL-Doha is engineered to accelerate approximately 60 science-driven ventures per year through dedicated deep-tech streams emphasizing artificial intelligence, health technologies, and sustainable agriculture and food systems. This program adopts a highly selective methodology where participating ventures receive mentorship from a curated panel comprising serial entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders, and academic researchers. Over the initial three-year horizon, CDL-Doha aims to support over 150 ventures, creating a multiplier effect on regional innovation and global market engagement.
The financial backbone of CDL-Doha and the broader DEEP Qatar program is reinforced by QIA’s Fund of Funds initiative. This USD 1 billion fund focuses on stimulating the startup and venture capital ecosystems within Qatar by attracting top-tier venture capital firms and visionary entrepreneurs. By enabling robust financing opportunities, the initiative addresses critical funding gaps and underpins the growth of high-impact, tech-focused enterprises, particularly in sectors such as artificial intelligence and healthcare innovation. This strategic funding mechanism is crucial in forging a sustainable innovation landscape capable of competing on the global stage.
Complementing CDL-Doha is the DEEP Academy, an elite entrepreneurial education platform targeting researchers and scientists primarily from Qatar and the GCC region. The Academy offers an immersive curriculum designed to cultivate entrepreneurial mindsets, translating complex scientific insights into viable business models. This human-centric training emphasizes skill development across technology commercialization, startup management, and venture scaling, fostering a new generation of tech innovators equipped to navigate competitive global markets.
Furthermore, DEEP Pioneers serves as a venture-building engine dedicated to accelerating early-stage technologies, particularly those emerging from Qatari research institutions. By pairing promising scientific innovations with seasoned entrepreneurial talent, DEEP Pioneers ensures the creation of well-rounded startup teams focused on global impact and scalability. The Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council’s oversight guarantees that all activities align with the nation’s strategic priorities, including enhancing private sector-led R&D, advancing technology transfer, and sustaining the broader innovation ecosystem’s growth trajectory.
This initiative is supported by a robust institutional network including renowned partners such as HEC Paris in Qatar, RWTH Aachen University, and Forschungszentrum Jülich, alongside the primary stakeholders. Notably, the collaboration gained momentum following a visit by Hendrik Wüst, Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, in 2025. He underscored the strategic importance of fostering innovation ecosystems that serve as engines for economic growth and technological advancement, positioning DEEP Qatar as a critical nexus between Germany’s industrial hub and Qatar’s scientific ambitions.
From a geopolitical and economic perspective, this partnership exemplifies a strategic alignment of objectives between Germany and Qatar. It reflects a mutual commitment to developing sophisticated platforms that accelerate technology transfer and bolster deep-tech innovation ecosystems across continents. Sigmar Gabriel, former German vice chancellor and foreign minister, highlights ESMT Berlin’s pivotal role in bringing together advanced research capabilities, entrepreneurial education, and a global network vital for the success of this initiative.
Eng. Omar Ali Al-Ansari, secretary-general of the QRDI Council, emphasizes that this initiative is instrumental in positioning Qatar as a leading regional and global player in deep-tech innovation. The programs developed under this partnership are tailored to attract and retain top-tier international deep-tech companies while driving the commercialization of world-class scientific research from Qatar’s universities and knowledge institutions. This strategy integrates national priorities and aligns with Qatar’s vision for a diversified and innovation-driven economy.
QIA’s sovereign wealth fund status, combined with QRDI Council’s mandate to catalyze research and innovation, provides unparalleled institutional support for DEEP Qatar. Established in 2005, QIA manages state reserve funds with a long-term investment horizon that fosters sustainable economic growth. Its Fund of Funds program, targeting over USD 1 billion in venture investments, represents a commitment to nurturing a fertile venture capital ecosystem conducive to breakthrough technological ventures in rapidly evolving sectors.
QRDI Council stands as a cornerstone entity driving Qatar’s national development goals by supporting R&D activities and talent development within the country. Its vision—embodied in the motto “locally empowered, globally connected”—reflects a strategic mission to position Qatar as a magnet for global scientific talent and innovation investment, thereby making the nation a pioneering hub in the research and development domain.
This comprehensive partnership, therefore, encapsulates an ambitious vision for symbiotic international collaboration aimed at accelerating deep-tech entrepreneurship, fostering economic diversification, and catalyzing breakthrough innovations. By integrating expertise, capital, and research excellence from both Qatar and Germany, DEEP Qatar is engineered to create transformative impacts spanning sectors and geographies, ultimately contributing to a more interconnected and innovation-driven global economy.
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Web References: https://creativedestructionlab.com/locations/doha/
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Image Credits: QRDI
Keywords: Business, Artificial intelligence, Technology, Biomedical engineering
