Doha, Qatar, 10 July 2023: The Qatar Research, Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council’s flagship program, Qatar Open Innovation (QOI), has recently announced its Innovation Opportunities in collaboration with Baladna, Gulf Warehousing Company (GWC), and Es’hailSat.
Through its Innovation Opportunities, QRDI Council has partnered with Baladna, which is the largest dairy farm in Qatar that maintains a technologically advanced facility with 25,000 dairy cows to ensure optimal cow comfort and achieve a high production capacity. Baladna is seeking innovative solutions to achieve the highest standard sustainable compost. Another exciting innovation opportunity is presented by Gulf Warehousing Company (GWC). GWC invites proposals from Startups, SMEs, and Corporates for technologies that enable automated tracking and tracing of warehouse inventory stock. Also, the national satellite company, Es’hailSat, a leading satellite operator providing services in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is inviting innovators to present the most innovative approach for satellite remote telemetry.
Commenting on the launch, Mrs. Haya Al-Ghanim, QRDI Council’s RDI Programs, said, “We are thrilled to announce the launch of the three Innovation Opportunities, marking another milestone for the Qatar Open Innovation program. Through strategic partnerships with Baladna, GWC, and Es'hailSat, we aim to harness the power of innovation to address local opportunities in alignment with Qatar's priority areas. Selected innovators will have the invaluable opportunity to collaborate with trusted pilot partners and test their groundbreaking technologies, paving the way for future large-scale implementation. We drive Qatar's research, development, and innovation landscape forward.”
Baladna, GWC, and Es'hailSat are presenting exciting innovation challenges this year. The challenges from the three entities are as follows:
Baladna’s challenge is entitled “Standardize and improve the quality of organic compost.” Sustainability and circular economy engagement are at the core of QRDI’s strategic mission to “support the sustainable management of Qatar’s environmental, food, and water resources through research and technological solutions.” To achieve this, QRDI and Baladna, are seeking innovative approaches, such as novel process methodology or additives which can “Standardize and improve the quality of organic compost.” The deadline to submit a proposal is open until 26 July 2023.
GWC’s challenge is entitled “Tracking and tracing warehouse inventory.” GWC invites Startups, SMEs, and corporates’ proposals for technologies that enable Automated tracking and tracing of warehouse inventory stock. GWC is looking for innovative solutions which reduce the reliance on personnel and increase safety and efficiency for their customers. The deadline to submit a proposal is open until 22 August 2023.
Es’hailSat’s challenge is entitled “Remote Telemetry Monitoring for Geostationary Satellites.” There are occasions (2-3 times per annum) when communication issues arise. In this case, engineers must be dispatched to the Es’hailSat Teleport to identify and resolve the issue. To address this issue, Es’hailSat would like to implement a remote monitoring solution whereby the Engineer can monitor the telemetry from the satellites from anywhere with an internet connection and identify any potential issue before traveling to Es’hailSat Teleport site. By facilitating faster reactions and minimizing downtime, the remote monitoring solution would ensure continuous service provision by Es'hailSat. The deadline to submit the proposal is 1 August 2023.
The Qatar Open Innovation program has been the primary platform for startups and innovators to showcase their products and solutions that address the nation’s most pressing challenges in the five national priority areas of energy, health, resource sustainability, society, and digital technology, as outlined in the QRDI Strategy 2030, by identifying opportunities for innovation collaborations to drive economic prosperity. Future QOI calls will also meet the innovation needs of government entities.
The QOI program has provided a unique opportunity for innovators to collaborate with leading organizations, industry experts, and mentors to develop and scale their ideas. The program launched 21 innovation calls in collaboration with various partners in Qatar, including Sidra, Ooredoo, Hassad Food, Kahramaa, Milaha, the Ministry of Environment and climate change, and the Ministry of Municipality.
To learn more about the challenges Qatar Open Innovation tackled and submit your proposals, visit the QRDI Portal.