QSTP hosts SYNC Spring 2026 Doha hub, linking Syrian tech diaspora with global innovators

Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), a member of Qatar Foundation, hosted founders, operators and community members at its Doha campus as part of SYNC Spring 2026, a hybrid conference connecting Syrian technologists across the diaspora that drew more than 5,500 participants worldwide.

The initiative links Syrian technologists, founders and ecosystem partners through distributed conversations and programming across more than 30 cities and 17 access centres inside Syria. At QSTP, founders from its programs joined SYNC Doha community members in sessions focused on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and emerging technologies.

Refugee students joined from Jordan, Lebanon, Turkiye and across Europe, underscoring the initiative’s regional and diaspora reach.

Keynote addresses from Syrian policymakers and global technology leaders included the Minister of Communications and Information Technology of the Syrian Arab Republic, H E Abdulsalam Haykal, who discussed digital transformation and the importance of rebuilding technological capacity and supporting talent development.

Another keynote by the Minister of Social Affairs and Labour of the Syrian Arab Republic, H E Hind Kabawat, marked the opening of the Talent and Employer Arena, focusing on connecting talent with opportunities at scale. A session streamed at QSTP, titled “Syria’s Tech Ecosystem: Talent, Demand, and Market Gaps,” convened ecosystem leaders to examine how innovation can better align with market needs.

Among the speakers was Rama Chakaki, President of QSTP, who emphasized the value of building locally relevant solutions as a foundation for regional and global growth. “Syria represents a significant market with deep unmet needs, and founders who solve real problems locally create the most compelling pathways to investment and international scale,” Chakaki said.

“We’re already seeing strong momentum, with a 150% increase in newly created ventures.

Initiatives like SYNC, which aims to create 25,000 tech jobs in Syria by 2030, alongside QSTP’s mission to grow disruptive technology companies, are helping translate this momentum into tangible opportunities by strengthening talent pipelines and connecting founders to global markets.” QSTP’s participation in SYNC Spring 2026 reflects its role in Qatar’s innovation ecosystem as a hub connecting founders to global networks, knowledge exchange and opportunities in deep tech, enabling cross-border collaboration that supports economic and talent development.

The Doha hub also underscored Qatar’s growing position as a connector between regional talent and international innovation networks, positioning QSTP as a convener linking local startups to global conversations.