Incredible ideas to credible businesses

More than 25 people took part in the program, held at the Four Seasons hotel, with another intake of entrepreneurs planned for January 2008. The six-week course provides participants with seminars and workshops on how to prepare and pitch a winning business plan.

Salah Afifi, a software analyst for Qatar Foundation, said the program had been invaluable in helping him gain an understanding of what to do next. 'Although I'd had ideas to start a business in my field of educational technology, they were just that, ideas,' Mr Afifi said.
'Through the program I have a clearer direction and I feel better prepared to take the next step in establishing my own business,' he said. 'I feel more confident of my success as a future businessman with the knowledge and skills I've gained from the program and the resources of QSTP.'

QSTP's Des Ryan, who runs the Investor Readiness Program, said it has proved highly successful, from its early oversubscription to the quality of the participants.

'The program is very flexible, supporting entrepreneurs of widely varying stages and needs,' he said. 'It is open to businesspeople, university students and anyone else in Qatar that wants to learn how to plan a start-up enterprise.'

Participants learn about key steps in the creation of a new technology business, such as project selection, team building, gaining early customers, creating cashflow projections, selecting the best form of finance, and choosing the right investor.

'After the program finishes, QSTP continues to provide advice, support and potential funding resources to participants,' Mr Ryan said.

'Although it's the end of the program, we hope this is just the beginning of great things for the participants. We are very excited to see new technology-businesses being developed by Qatar's next generation of entrepreneurs.'

Program guest speaker Mohamad Takriti, CEO of successful IT and e-business company iHorizons, said the program was a wonderful opportunity for those looking to establish their own business.
'I wish there had been such a program when I was starting up iHorizons,' he said.

The Investor Readiness Program forms part of QSTP's vision to help support and develop Qatar's knowledge-based economy. QSTP provides premises, services and support programmes to help entrepreneurs to launch their start-up businesses, while encouraging companies from around the world to develop and commercialise their technology within Qatar, incubating technology and innovation within the country.