Qatar’s Stars of Science revamps format to prioritise venture building
Stars of Science, a Doha-based innovation platform produced by Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), has opened applications for Season 18, inviting creators, technologists and entrepreneurs from across the Arab world and its global diaspora to apply. The competition, which has operated for nearly two decades, is shifting its format to emphasise venture-building and storytelling, organisers said. Applications are open through June 26, 2026.
The programme is targeting people aged 18 to 35 working across domains such as artificial intelligence, gaming, robotics, climate tech, health-tech, fashion-tech and digital design. Applicants are asked to submit a short home video introducing their idea and the personal story behind it. Filming for the new season is scheduled to take place in Qatar later this year.
What the prize offers and production changes
Unlike prize-focused contests that award cash alone, Season 18’s winner will receive a structured venture-building residency in Qatar. According to the organisers, the package includes mentorship, strategic guidance, housing, office space, operational support, access to interns and immersion within QSTP’s innovation ecosystem. The stated aim is to move beyond concept validation toward company formation.
The show’s production partner for the relaunch is London’s Zinc Media Group and The Edge, Zinc’s Doha-based label. Andrea Hamilton, an executive producer with credits on global entertainment formats such as The Voice, joins the team to reshape the series’ narrative and visual approach. Hamilton said the intention is to “evolve the format for a new generation – bringing more scale, emotion, entertainment, and cinematic storytelling while keeping innovation and human ingenuity at the center.”
QSTP President Rama Chakaki framed the changes as an attempt to broaden access and lower barriers for aspiring founders, saying Stars of Science will open its doors wider this season and that “anyone with an idea can apply, regardless of access to resources or networks.”
Why this matters for the region’s startup ecosystem
Stars of Science operates at the intersection of media and startup support. That hybrid model can have multiple impacts on the region’s innovation landscape. First, the visibility delivered by a television and digital series can raise the profile of nascent ventures and founders, helping to attract talent, partners and potential follow-on investors. Second, a residency model that provides operational support and workspace can address common early-stage frictions — from recruiting to prototyping — that often stall spinouts in their pre-seed phase.
For Qatar, the programme reinforces broader, long-running efforts to build a deep-tech cluster around QSTP and the Qatar Foundation. The residency will place winners within that ecosystem, offering proximity to research institutions, corporate partners and a small but growing investor community in the Gulf.
There are wider regional implications too. With Gulf states, notably Saudi Arabia and the UAE, intensifying efforts to diversify their economies and catalyse entrepreneurship through national strategies, platforms that connect talent with venture-building infrastructure can become a feedstock for new startups. Though Stars of Science is produced in Qatar, its casting across the Arab world and the diaspora means it could surface founders working in different regulatory and funding environments, potentially facilitating cross-border collaboration or relocation.
Questions and limits
While media-linked innovation platforms can accelerate early momentum, they also raise questions about long-term sustainability. A televised boost does not guarantee follow-on financing, market fit or regulatory clearance, particularly for deep-tech or health-tech ventures that require extended development timelines and capital intensity. Observers will watch whether winners can translate the residency and exposure into viable fundraising rounds and commercial traction once the programme concludes.
Another practical constraint is scale. A single residency winner receives concentrated support, but the broader challenge for the Arab startup ecosystem is creating repeatable, fundable pathways for many teams. Policymakers and private actors have increasingly pursued programmes, accelerators and directed capital to address that gap; Stars of Science’s revamped format contributes to those efforts but is not a substitute for systemic funding and incubation infrastructure.
How to apply
Applications are accepted online in Arabic and English. Interested candidates can apply via the programme’s official website. The organisers say they welcome submissions from a wide range of backgrounds, including students, creatives, engineers and early founders.
The casting window for Season 18 closes on June 26, 2026. More details are available at starsofscience.qstp.qa.
Disclosure: The information in this article is based on an announcement from Qatar Science & Technology Park and related production partners. Stars of Science is produced by QSTP, a member of Qatar Foundation.
