The map·Qatar·Accelerators & incubators

Scale7 — Creative and Cultural Industries Hub

Launched 2021 by Qatar Development Bank with M7 (a Qatar Museums entity) as a fashion and design incubator; repositioned on 8 December 2025 into the Creative and Cultural Industries Hub, a national platform for six creative sectors.

What
Over QAR 13.5M in support provided to date across 88 startups.
From abroad
Open to companies from abroad — Must be established or plan to be established as a Qatari entity during the program (stated for both the Pre-Acceleration Program and the Acceleration Program) All programmes open to founders from abroad →
Status
Active

Checked · September 2026 · scale7.qdb.qa · How we check ↗

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In detail

Scale7 — Creative and Cultural Industries Hub is a creative industries platform — four tracks in Qatar. Launched 2021 by Qatar Development Bank with M7 (a Qatar Museums entity) as a fashion and design incubator; repositioned on 8 December 2025 into the Creative and Cultural Industries Hub, a national platform for six creative sectors. Track record to date: 88 startups, 80+ advisors, over QAR 13.5 million in investment, advisory and in-kind support.

Amount
Over QAR 13.5M in support provided to date across 88 startups
Sectors
  • Advertising
  • Digital product design and related crafts
  • Fashion technology
  • Digital game industry
  • Language technologies
  • Literature
Benefits
  • Hackathon (4 days)
  • Pre-Acceleration
  • Acceleration
  • Lab Residency (4–8 weeks)
Status
Active — repositioned December 2025

What the source says

“Must be established or plan to be established as a Qatari entity during the program.”

scale7.qdb.qa/en/programs · seen September 2026

“© 2025 SCALE7. ALL COPYRIGHTS RESERVED”

scale7.qdb.qa · seen September 2026

“This announcement builds on years of achievements and successes, as “Scale7” has collaborated with 88 startups to date, that worked with a network of more than 80 advisors and experts from Qatar and around the world, and providing support exceeding QAR 13.5 million through investment, as well as advisory and in-kind support.”

qdb.qa/about/news/news/scale7-new-identity-2025 · seen September 2026

Closing soon on the map

Cultural Development Fund (CDF)

Grant · Saudi Arabia
Up to SAR 500,000 non-repayable per project, capped at 20 projects total.
No equity — grant
29 Sep 2026closes

Finspire

Accelerator · Saudi Arabia
SAR 100,000 development funding, earmarked rather than paid as cash.
Equity via SAFE, capped at 5%
4 Oct 2026closes

QSTP Incubation

Accelerator · Qatar
In-kind support: Doha workspace and housing for a four-week Sprint, talent and investor access.
Equity — 1.5% deferred SAFE-style stake
1 Nov 2026closes

All published deadlines →

More accelerators & incubators in Qatar

Alchemist Doha

Accelerator · Qatar
Investment support; amount not published (one portfolio firm raised $1M).
Equity
—

DEEP Pioneers (QRDI)

Accelerator · Qatar
Venture-building support; no funding figure published.
—

Digital & Beyond (Ooredoo × QBIC)

Accelerator · Qatar
Incubation and acceleration support.
—

HBKU Entrepreneurship

Accelerator · Qatar
Four funds: IBDA up to QAR 250K, IIF up to QAR 200K, SOCIF up to QAR 100K, SIF up to QAR 30K.
Equity — varies by fund
—

All accelerators & incubators in Qatar →  ·  Across the Gulf →

Sources

Primary source · scale7.qdb.qa · LinkedIn · linkedin.com/company/qatar-development-bank · Checked September 2026

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