QRDI Qatar Open Innovation (QOI)

In detail

QRDI Qatar Open Innovation (QOI) is a non-dilutive challenge grant (pilot funding) in Qatar. Challenge-based pilot funding run by the QRDI Council on its Innolight platform with government and corporate challenge owners (e.g. the Ministry of Municipality). Each challenge invites startups, SMEs, university spin-offs and corporates to propose a technology for a stated problem; awardees run a funded proof of concept or pilot with a path to scale-up, joint development, supplier agreement or licensing. Innolight lists 86 challenges at QAR 365K each over one year (checked September 2026); all are marked Closed, with awards dated up to January 2024.

Amount

QAR 365K per challenge · 1 year

Terms

No equity taken

Eligibility

Start-ups, SMEs and corporates with a commercial registration; more than one proposal per organisation allowed; employees of QRDI and the challenge owner excluded (challenge page)

Sectors

Agriculture, health, water, energy, smart cities — set per challenge

Benefits

Funded proof of concept with a government or corporate challenge owner · pathway to supplier agreement or licensing

Status

Closed — no open challenge on Innolight on 7 Sep 2026; challenges are published in waves