- What
- Four funds: IBDA up to QAR 250K, IIF up to QAR 200K, SOCIF up to QAR 100K, SIF up to QAR 30K.
- Who
- HBKU students, faculty and researchers; IBDA is for start-ups founded by QF members.
- From abroad
- A company in Qatar is required — Established in Qatar or in the process of registration; open to QF members, priority for companies founded or led by Qatari nationals All programmes open to founders from abroad →
Checked · October 2026 · innovation.hbku.edu.qa/innovation-funds/IFO · How we check ↗
In detail
HBKU Entrepreneurship is a university incubator in Qatar. Hamad Bin Khalifa University's innovation ecosystem, run through its Innovation Funds Office. Four funds are documented on HBKU's own pages: SIF for students, IIF for academia-industry collaboration, SOCIF for faculty and researchers, and IBDA — a two-year programme of up to QAR 250,000 for young start-ups founded by Qatar Foundation members. The same office also lists QRDI's Open Innovation and Knowledge Transfer Partnership programmes.
- Amount
- IBDA: up to QAR 250,000 over two years
- IIF: up to QAR 50,000 with in-kind co-funding, or up to QAR 200,000 (matched 100% by HBKU) with cash co-funding from an industry partner
- SOCIF: up to QAR 50,000, or up to QAR 100,000 for two or more faculty members from different HBKU colleges
- SIF: up to QAR 15,000 (single student) or up to QAR 30,000 (two or more students from different HBKU colleges), max 8 months
- Terms
- Not published
- Eligibility
- HBKU students (SIF)
- HBKU faculty, researchers, scientists and staff (SOCIF)
- academia-industry projects with an industry partner (IIF)
- start-ups founded by Qatar Foundation members, established in Qatar or in the process of registration, with priority for companies founded or led by Qatari nationals (IBDA)
- Sectors
- Social innovation, academia-industry collaboration, student ventures
- Status
- Active — four funds listed on HBKU’s Innovation Funds Office pages; applications through Innovation E-Services (checked October 2026)
Is this for you?
Where is your company?
Are you open to giving equity?
We match them against what HBKU Entrepreneurship publishes.
A guide to the published criteria, not a decision — the programme selects.
What the source says
“Open to QF members, with priority for companies founded or led by Qatari nationals. Companies must be established in Qatar or in the process of registration.”
“The Innovative Business Discovery and Acceleration (IBDA) Fund, meaning "start" in Arabic, is a two-year funding program providing up to QAR 250,000 to young start-ups founded by Qatar Foundation (QF) members, focused on research and development with the potential for significant impact on Qatar's e”
“→ With Co-fund In Cash: Up to QAR 200,000 (matched 100% by HBKU) for projects receiving direct financial contributions from industry partners.”
“→ With Co-fund In-Kind: Up to QAR 50,000 for projects supported through non-monetary contributions such as manpower, facility access, or data sharing from industry partners.”
“Up to QAR 100,000 for projects involving at least two faculty members from different HBKU colleges”
“Up to QAR 15,000 for projects led by a single student for a maximum of 8 months.”
Closing soon on the map
No published deadline in the next 30 days · All published deadlines →
Compare accelerators & incubators in Qatar
| Cost | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| HBKU EntrepreneurshipFour funds: IBDA up to QAR 250K, IIF up to QAR 200K, SOCIF up to QAR 100K, SIF up to QAR 30K. | up to QAR 250K | Not published | Active |
| Alchemist DohaInvestment support; amount not published (one portfolio firm raised $1M). | not published | Equity | Open |
| CDL-DohaNon-dilutive mentorship, with investor access via the CDL network. | not published | No equity for participation | Closed |
| DEEP Pioneers (QRDI)Venture-building support; no funding figure published. | not published | Not published | Open |
| Nama Center — Social IncubatorIncubation and training support; no funding figure published. | not published | Not published | Open |
| Qatar FinTech Hub AcceleratorPre-Acceleration and Acceleration programmes for fintechs. | not published | Not published | Active |
| QSTP IncubationFour-week Sprint in Doha, then eight-week Incubation for selected startups; no cash amount published. | not published | Equity | Open |
| Scale7 — Creative and Cultural Industries HubOver QAR 13.5M in support provided to date across 88 startups. | not published | Milestone-based equity possible | Active |
| Snoonu Startup FactoryFunding and mentorship programme at Snoonu HQ in Doha. | not published | Not published | Open |
| The Utopia StudioUSD 7,000 stipend plus up to USD 2,000 compute; co-build in product, tech and growth. | USD 7,000 | Bespoke equity; up to USD 1M option in first two rounds | Open |
| WISE EdTech AcceleratorYear-long coaching, masterclasses and investor network; no cash amount published. | not published | Not published | Closed |
| Digital & Beyond (Ooredoo × QBIC)Incubator becoming a QDB–Ooredoo investment platform (MoU Feb 2026). | not published | Not published | Active |
| Digital Incubation CenterMCIT's digital incubator; programme details not currently published. | not published | Not published | Active |
| QBICBusiness incubation support. | not published | Not published | Active |
| QDB Pre-Accelerator 2026Closed — the 2026 cycle's terms are no longer published. | not published | Not published | Closed |
| Scale Now (MCIT)Non-financial capability building and market access support. | not published | Not published | Active |
| TASMU AcceleratorQAR 200,000 (about $55,000) cash prize to top cohort startups, plus a virtual programme. | QAR 200,000 | No equity | Closed |
No programmes match these filters.
Highest amount in each programme’s own “What” line. Other currencies converted for sorting only (Gulf pegs; KWD, EUR, GBP approximate).
All accelerators & incubators in Qatar → · Across the Gulf →
Questions founders ask
What does HBKU Entrepreneurship offer?
Four funds: IBDA up to QAR 250K, IIF up to QAR 200K, SOCIF up to QAR 100K, SIF up to QAR 30K.
Does HBKU Entrepreneurship take equity?
Terms not published.
Can founders from abroad apply?
A company in Qatar is required — Established in Qatar or in the process of registration; open to QF members, priority for companies founded or led by Qatari nationals.
How do I apply?
Through its own application form — the Apply button on this page goes straight there.
Sources
Primary source · innovation.hbku.edu.qa/innovation-funds/IFO · LinkedIn · linkedin.com/company/hamad-bin-khalifa-university · Checked October 2026