- 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.
- Cost
- Equity — varies by fund
- 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 →
- Status
- Active
Checked · September 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
- Varies
- 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
- Annual intake timeline (proposal submissions in August–September per the HBKU Innovation Funds Timeline) — no rolling admission stated.
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”
“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.”
“Multidisciplinary Social Innovation Proposal with Co-fund In-Kind: Up to QAR 100,000 for projects involving at least two faculty members from different HBKU colleges”
“Single Student Innovation Proposal: Up to QAR 15,000 for projects led by a single student for a maximum of 8 months.”
Closing soon on the map
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All accelerators & incubators in Qatar → · Across the Gulf →
Sources
Primary source · innovation.hbku.edu.qa/innovation-funds/IFO · LinkedIn · linkedin.com/company/hamad-bin-khalifa-university · Checked September 2026