Panellists at a session during the event.
Washington, USA: The Government Communications Office (GCO) and the Embassy of Qatar in the United States organised a promotional event to build on strong US participation in Web Summit Qatar and drive further engagement ahead of its fourth edition, taking place in Doha from January 31 to February 3, 2027.
The event welcomed representatives from Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, and TechMet, alongside investors, entrepreneurs, and start-ups.
The program featured 12 speakers, representing leading entities from Qatar and the United States, with discussions on building global partnerships for investment, innovation, and growth, start-up success stories, and the role of smart capital in supporting the next generation of companies.
The event aimed to build on strong US participation in the previous edition of the summit in Qatar and deepen engagement with the US technology and investment ecosystem. Ambassador of Qatar to the United States of America H E Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad Al-Thani said: “Qatar and the United States share a longstanding strategic partnership, with technology and innovation becoming increasingly important pillars of our cooperation.” He added: “US companies and start-ups had a strong presence at Web Summit Qatar 2026, and this second runway event builds on that engagement ahead of the 2027 edition, connecting founders and investors with partnerships and growth opportunities in Qatar and across the region.”
During a panel session, Director of Studies and Strategic Planning at the GCO Soud Ahmed Al Boinin said: “Last year’s event was a great turnout for us, and that is why we are continuing the Runway, not only in DC. We are going to Paris this week. Of the attendees at last year’s Runway event, 40% ended up coming to Doha and enjoying the event. I think it is a testament to the great efforts the country has put in and the great partner we have in Web Summit.”
Chief Strategy Officer at Invest Qatar Dr Hamad Rashid Al Naimi said: “We spoke today about the benefits US companies can unlock by coming to Qatar, from connecting with the Qatari ecosystem and prototyping solutions to building in Qatar and then scaling to the region. We are here to highlight the Qatari investment ecosystem and the benefits it offers foreign companies setting up businesses in Qatar.”
In his turn, Chief Events Officer at Web Summit Craig Becker said: “We identified that the Middle East was a very important part of the world. Once we started getting into conversations with Qatar, what became unbelievably evident is that a city has to have a world-class venue. It has to have an international airport that is very well connected to the world, and it needs good infrastructure for people to move around. Of course, Qatar has that.”
In a statement, Founder and CEO of Breshna.io Mariam Nusrat said: “I truly believe that Qatar has been monumental to our business growth. I can trace a lot of our B2B partnerships back to Doha.” She added: “What stands out about Qatar to me is that it backs the human behind the business. The infrastructure is set up for international entrepreneurs to make it home, not just to build in Qatar, but to build for the Gulf.”
