Injaz Qatar hosts Mubadara Awards Ceremony 2023

Under the patronage of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), Injaz Qatar – a non-profit organisation and member of Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide – held its awards ceremony to mark the conclusion of Mubadara 2023, the Annual Young Enterprise of the Year Competition.

The ceremony for the 15th edition of the annual awards was held at the Qatar Foundation Student Centre Ballroom on May 24.

It was attended by the competition’s partners, sponsors, officials, MoEHE representatives, students, parents, volunteers and friends, who were present to encourage and support Qatar’s young entrepreneurs.

Twelve university teams and six high school teams from Qatar participated in the six-month-long Mubadara programme, which offers students the opportunity to conceptualise, establish and run their own startups with the guidance of professionals from leading businesses across Qatar.

The Best Company Award among universities was won by the team “Khatwa”, which received QR35,000 as seed funding from Boeing, the strategic partner of Injaz Qatar since 2009, in addition to the ongoing support and incubation award presented by the QBIC (Qatar Business Incubation Centre).

Kuljit Ghata-Aura, Boeing president for the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa, commented on the importance of supporting young talents and their innovation and technology endeavours in line with Qatar National Vision 2030: “We are proud to partner with Injaz Qatar to empower the younger generation, enabling them to develop essential entrepreneurial and leadership skills.”

“Throughout the years, more than 5,000 young people in Qatar have benefited from Injaz Qatar programmes supported by Boeing,” he said. “Our commitment to fostering the growth of the aviation and defence industries in Qatar begins with investing in the next generation of leaders and innovators.”

The Best Company of the Year Award, sponsored by ExxonMobil Qatar, was presented to “Khatwa” from Qatar University (QU) and “FA Robot” from the Qatar Technical School.

The Highest Social Impact Award, sponsored by Ooredoo, was given to “Maktbati” from the QU and “360 Invision” from Belgravia High School.

The Most Innovative Product/Service Award, sponsored by Qatar Development Bank, was presented to “Salvia” from the QU and “SFFA” from Amna Bint Wahab School.

The Best Marketing Plan Award, sponsored by FRAME, was granted to “Hulla” from the QU and “Qalam” from Michael E DeBakey High School.

Finally, the People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Seib Insurance & Reinsurance, was presented to “CLIK” from CUC Ulster University Qatar.

“We’re delighted to be the platinum sponsor of the 15th Mubadara Awards Ceremony and to continue our support for this great initiative that we wholeheartedly believe in and have been a part of since it first started,” said Dominic Genetti, president and general manager for ExxonMobil Qatar.

“Injaz Qatar’s mission aligns with many of our core values at ExxonMobil Qatar, particularly those that bolster innovation in young people,” he said. “We share an unwavering commitment to help provide them with the space to create, transform dreams into realities, and pave the way for a brighter and sustainable future.”

“Congratulations to this year’s winners – they have truly inspired us with their hard work and entrepreneurial ambitions. We wish them incredible success with their businesses and all their endeavours,” Genetti added.

Ooredoo Qatar chief executive Sheikh Ali bin Jabor al-Thani said: “We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the remarkable winners of Mubadara 2023.”

“Witnessing the passion, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit displayed by these talented young individuals is truly inspiring,” he said. “As a gold sponsor of this prestigious event, Ooredoo is proud to have presented the Highest Social Impact Award trophies to high school and university students who stood out in this competition.”

“At Ooredoo, we firmly believe in the power of youth and its potential to shape a brighter future,” Sheikh Ali added. “With the right support, guidance and determination, there are no limits to what they can achieve.”

Mubadara is the culmination of a six month-long programme where student teams are offered the opportunity to conceptualise, establish and run a real business, with the guidance of professionals from leading businesses across Qatar.

Sheikha Hanadi Nasser al-Thani, the chair of Injaz Qatar and Injaz Al Arab, said: “Congratulations to the participants and winners of this year’s Mubadara Awards. The calibre of your entries is a credit to you and your institutions.”

Addressing the gathering, she continued: “Mubadara was founded 15 years ago with the aim of inspiring youth in Qatar to start and grow entrepreneurial ventures.”

“Through the programme, more than 3,500 students have explored their innovative business ideas and the opportunity to turn these ideas into thriving businesses,” Sheikha Hanadi said. “The programme isn’t just about winning a competition. It envisions building an influential community of entrepreneurs equipped to make significant contributions to Qatar’s expeditiously developing economy.”

As the winning university team, “Khatwa” and high school team “FA Robot” will now represent Qatar at the Regional Injaz Al Arab Young Enterprise of the Year Competition and compete against other teams from 14 different countries in the Mena (Middle East and North Africa) region.

This year’s Mubadara Awards Ceremony sponsors are ExxonMobil as platinum sponsor, Ooredoo as gold sponsor, Qatar Development Bank as programme partner, Boeing as strategic partner for the startup programme, the QBIC as the incubation partner, who will host the winner, Seib Insurance & Reinsurance as special partner, and Frame Communications as the media partner.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).