Doha has launched a new technology fund and signed up a slate of five partners from Asia, the Gulf, and the US — part of a long-running strategy of pursuing an impact investment niche alongside the Qatar Investment Authority’s large deals.
The $30 million Tech Venture Fund is being run by Qatar Science and Technology Park, part of the Qatar Foundation’s science and education hub in Doha. It will invest in deep tech startups that aim to address global social or climate challenges. There is a harder economic edge too: The technology will need to have strong commercial potential and the companies and their leadership teams will have to be based in Qatar.
The first set of partners includes two Dubai firms — Global Ventures and VentureSouq — as well as San Francisco’s Builders VC, US/UK-based White Star Capital, and Singapore-headquartered Golden Gate Ventures. QSTP says other names will join soon.