Media City Qatar Teams Up With QDB To Back Media Startups
The agreement between the two entities outlines a joint plan to promote innovation, attract talent, and increase opportunities for media startups across six strategic areas.
Media City Qatar, a global hub for media companies, entrepreneurs, innovators, and creative talents, has put pen to a cooperation agreement with Qatar Development Bank (QDB) to support media entrepreneurship and expand development in the creative industries.
The agreement, inked on the third day of the 2025 Qatar Economic Forum, held from May 20-22 at the Fairmont Doha, outlines a joint plan to promote innovation, attract talent, and increase opportunities for media startups across six strategic areas.
The two parties will work together on media productions aligned with Qatar’s cultural and export goals and will introduce a co-branded acceleration program through Qatar’s first business incubator and accelerator dedicated to the creative and cultural industries QDB’s SCALE7 Creative and Cultural Industries Hub.
In a statement, Jassim Mohamed Al Khori, CEO of Media City Qatar, said, “Our commitment to startups is no coincidence: over 60 percent of our 200+ licensed companies are startups. That is why partnering with Qatar Development Bank is a natural next step in our mission to build a vibrant culture of media entrepreneurship in Qatar. This cooperation agreement is designed to accelerate the growth of both our current and future licensed companies. By combining our strategic platforms with QDB’s startup expertise and investment channels, we are creating real pathways for media entrepreneurs to scale and innovate. This will enable them to produce content that contributes meaningfully to the country’s creative GDP.”
Abdulrahman Hesham Al Sowaidi, CEO of Qatar Development Bank, commented, “This partnership reflects a shared vision for building the next generation of media entrepreneurs who contribute to shaping Qatar’s creative economy. By bringing Media City Qatar on board as an official partner in our Talent Community Program, we are enriching the national startup ecosystem with creative talent ready to scale, directly contributing towards building the knowledge-based economy and Qatar’s 2030 objectives. The agreement also sets the stage for establishing the first media sector accelerator under our Creative and Cultural Industries hub, Scale7, designed to empower innovation across the national media landscape.
He added: “Beyond talent development, this collaboration expands our capacity to back ambitious media ventures and accelerate their path to regional and global relevance. This partnership also enables us to promote the Startup Qatar Investment Program further and provide an investment platform for Media-sector startups.”
The program will offer support through workshops, hackathons, masterclasses, and pitching events to highlight ventures and connect them with investors and industry representatives.
Media City Qatar will also join QDB’s Talent Community Program to help attract creative talent and support startup growth in the region.
In addition, the two organizations will share opportunities, consider co-investments, and collaborate on the Startup Qatar Investment Program, in addition to participating in each other’s events.
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