Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), in partnership with Web Summit and the Government Communications Office, hosted ‘Runway to Web Summit Qatar 2025’, yesterday in anticipation of the Web Summit Qatar 2025 next week.
The event, which brought together prominent industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators witnessed the participation of Paddy Cosgrave, CEO of Web Summit; Dr. Jack Lau, President of QSTP; Hayfa Al Abdullah, Innovation Director, Qatar Science & Technology Park; Amna Khalid Al Kaabi, Head of Emerging Technologies, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT); and Dr. Ahmed K. Elmagarmid – Executive Director, Qatar Computing Research Institute.
The event provided an opportunity for the participants to hear valuable insights during a fireside chat with Cosgrave and Dr. Lau. The CEO and Founder of Web Summit highlighted the challenges and early days of establishing the technology event in 2009, which grew from 150 participants to over 60,000 in 2024, with the attendance of Chinese entrepreneurs and VCs in the later years.
“It was clear that this trend would accumulate over time, and about five years ago, in the fields of machine learning and AI, Chinese academics were already producing more high-quality citations than their Western counterparts, Cosgrave said.
He mentioned that Chinese dominance in every tech sector was inevitable for a long period of time. The Web Summit CEO said “It wasn’t fully believable until recently, though, when DeepSeek’s progress became undeniable just a few weeks ago. Other sectors have also been heading in this direction, where the realisation has set in that the model-based approach to innovation far surpasses anything that existed before.”
Cosgrave further emphasised “Looking forward, I believe the outlook is incredibly positive. The current driving force is likely the faster-than-expected decline in the West, accompanied by the realisation that the West will need to adapt to survive in a rapidly changing world.”
“This shift isn’t just about US foreign policy; it also involves the way innovation is created, and products are developed.
“The world is changing in a way it hasn’t for around 500 years, and it’s hard to ignore that the landscape is evolving drastically,” he added.
Runway to Web Summit 2025 also included a panel discussion on ‘Building the Future of Technology in the Middle East’ with leading industry figures, as well as startup success stories from QSTP alumni and Web Summit attendees.
In addition to that, participants witnessed a startup showcase and networking session, offering a unique chance to connect with key players in Qatar’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
