QDB, QNB renew partnership to foster innovation in fintech
Doha, Qatar – As part of its ongoing efforts to accelerate digital transformation and promote entrepreneurship in Qatar's financial sector, Qatar Development Bank (QDB) signed a partnership agreement with Qatar National Bank (QNB) on the sidelines of the Web Summit Qatar 2025. The partnership will entail the launch of an accelerator program aimed at fostering innovation in FinTech and promoting collaboration with QNB Group, which will contribute to the growth of Qatar's financial ecosystem and digital business environment.
The agreement focuses on accelerating the adoption of FinTech through specialized programs managed by Qatar FinTech Hub, the QDB arm responsible for FinTech initiatives. The program will identify key use cases and opportunities that require innovative fintech solutions, and offer the necessary support and guidance to attract and empower promising startups to develop such solutions. The program will also assist startups in accessing markets and navigating licensing processes. QNB will play a crucial role in identifying challenges and opportunities in the fintech industry, providing technical expertise and a secure environment to test these solutions, while exploring investment opportunities in high-potential ventures.
Mr. Mohammed Al Emadi, QDB's Executive Director of Investments and Incubation, said the partnership represents a strategic step forward in the bank's ongoing efforts to support Qatar's fintech ecosystem and empower entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions that align with the rapidly evolving sector and the fintech strategy led by Qatar Central Bank.
"Supporting innovation is a key pillar of QDB's strategy. We believe in creating an environment that fosters creativity and innovation, particularly in financial technology, where we aim to excel by strengthening integration between financial institutions and startups," Al Emadi noted.
Mr. Adel Al Malki, Senior Executive Vice President, QNB Group Retail Banking, said 'At QNB, we are committed to driving innovation and contributing to the development of Qatar's digital ecosystem. Our partnership with Web Summit Qatar 2025 reflects our shared vision with QDB to advance technological progress and unlock new growth opportunities in local and regional markets across various industries.'
By formalizing this agreement, both parties aim to attract cutting-edge global financial technology solutions, draw international entrepreneurs to Qatar, stimulate investment in startups, increase FinTech adoption, and enhance private sector participation in the ecosystem.
This partnership underscores QDB's commitment to a comprehensive strategy that supports the digital economy and strengthens the entrepreneurial ecosystem, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, which seeks to build a diversified, sustainable, and knowledge-based economy. The agreement also aligns with QDB's strategic focus on digital transformation, empowering the private sector, and developing the entrepreneurial ecosystem—further solidifying Qatar's position as a regional hub for FinTech innovation.
About Qatar Development Bank (QDB)
Qatar Development Bank (QDB), previously known as Qatar Industrial Development Bank, was established in Qatar in 1997 by Emiri Decree No. 14 as a developmental organization with the primary objective of fueling industrial growth and driving the private sector's economic diversification. Over two decades of transformation, QDB has reinvented itself to become the main supporting arm for Qatar's private sector and a powerful catalyst for socio-economic development through three access-based pillars to SME and private-enterprise support: Access to Finance, Access to Markets, and Access to Capability.
The Bank's whole-journey support system covers various financing schemes and consultation services that include marketing, legal advice, booking, mentoring and development, grants and accreditation, and capacity-building platforms. This has allowed QDB to become the SME's growth partner from ideation to fruition, meeting their aspirations at every stage in order to compete at the national and global levels, while improving the economic development cycle and bringing the country closer to realizing its national vision for 2030.
Today, the Bank and its subsidiaries are building on Qatar's rich legacy of socio-economic achievements by taking a brave leap into the future and focusing on the digital transformation of the country's SME and business ecosystems to usher entrepreneurs and SMEs into the new economy, embrace emerging opportunities, and steadily transform QDB into a digital bank of the future and a lighthouse that leads the way for financial and developmental institutions across the region and beyond. For more information, please visit QDB.qa
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