Encouraging the youth to establish more innovative start-ups could help develop Qatar’s technology ecosystem and spur growth in the country’s non-hydrocarbon sector, according to Qatari developers of a high-tech tracking system.
The number of technology-oriented companies and start-ups in Qatar and in other Arab countries is gradually increasing, said Raghad Akram Abughazzeh, a 21-year-old computer engineering student of Qatar University.
“Since there are still a few technology-oriented start-ups in Qatar and in neighbouring Arab countries, there is a need to build more of these companies. Also, they should start penetrating the international market to showcase Qatar as a successful non-hydrocarbon economy,” Abughazzeh said.
Abughazzeh and 20-year-old Ranim Samir Abukhalil established “Qaho,” a “student company” from Qatar University. Along with two other partners, they were able to develop a small device incorporated with a high-tech tracking system that helps people search for lost items.
Qaho, which means “here it is” in Arabic, received the “Best Company of the Year” award during Injaz Qatar’s conclusion of the “Mubadara 2015 Annual Young Enterprise of the Year Competition” held in November 2015.
Abukhalil said that apart from the award, Qaho received QR35,000 as seed funding from Boeing, in addition to the ongoing support provided by the Qatar Business Incubation Centre (QBIC).
Asked how Qaho could help inspire the youth to become innovative, creative, and to develop the passion to help enhance the Qatari economy, Abughazzeh said: “Starting a technology-oriented company has its challenges. It is hard but not impossible to accomplish. With extra effort and finding the right business, anyone can succeed in this field.”
“We strive to make the business successful and not the other way around. It is not the business that makes us successful. By taking risks and making the impossible possible, I believe Qaho will be an inspiring company to the youth,” she added.
Abukhalil said among the challenges they encountered was the sourcing of the materials needed to produce the tracking device. “We had to source our materials from outside the country. It was a tremendous challenge but it was necessary to guarantee the quality and standards of our product,” she said.
Abughazzeh explained that their device runs with a mobile application and utilises Bluetooth technology to help people search for lost items using either its ringing or map features. Currently, the device is still in its prototype stage and is expected to be launched publicly within three to five months.
She also expressed optimism on the public’s reception to the device, saying a survey revealed that 78% of the respondents were interested in buying their product.