CCIS and Qatar Preparing the Participation of Serbian Startups at Web Summit Qatar 2026

Domestic startups and representatives of Serbia’s business community will take part in Web Summit Qatar 2026, to be held from 1 to 4 February 2026 in Doha, Marko Čadež, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS), said today at a meeting at the CCIS with a Qatari delegation on a working visit to Belgrade.

“Web Summit Qatar” is one of the largest technology conferences in that part of the world, expected to gather around 30,000 participants from more than 120 countries, including investors and startups from across the globe.

At the meeting, Čadež emphasized that Serbia has been recording steady growth in the ICT sector for years, with software exports exceeding €5 billion, and that the country, with a population of around 6.5 million, today represents an important European innovation and startup hub.

“I would like us to prepare a Memorandum of Cooperation and to agree on a strong matchmaking process for tech companies and innovative firms traveling to Qatar,” Čadež said at the meeting, stressing that the participation of Serbian startups at this summit further strengthens connections between Europe, the Gulf countries, Asia, and Africa.

Čadež also highlighted that Serbia is a strong global knowledge base, particularly in the field of engineering solutions, where he sees significant opportunities for cooperation.

“It is important that we jointly create a ‘soft-landing’ platform for connecting companies at the Summit, in order to link startups with investors and investment capital,” Čadež said.

Representatives of the Qatari delegation emphasized that they view Web Summit as a global business platform connecting Europe, the Gulf countries, and Africa, with a focus on tangible results and high-quality business networking.

Increased interest in Serbia followed the appearance of the Serbian delegation at Web Summit in Lisbon, it was noted at the meeting.

Duha Al Buhendi, Director of the Digital Society and Digital Skills Department at the Ministry of Communications, Information and Technology and Vice Chair of the Web Summit Qatar Organizing Committee, emphasized that the Summit will represent a new opportunity for networking among Serbian, Qatari, and global companies through organized pitching sessions, B2B and B2G meetings, as well as visits to technology parks and industrial zones.

The Qatari delegation also presented incentive programs and support mechanisms intended for startups, scale-up companies, and large technology systems, as well as opportunities for connecting with Qatar’s innovation, R&D, and technology ecosystem.

Following the meeting, presentations were held by the Development Agency of Serbia (RAS) on the business environment and investment opportunities in Serbia, as well as on the country’s innovation ecosystem.

The meeting was also attended by Saud Ahmed Al Bouinin, Director of the Department for Studies and Strategic Planning at the Government Communications Office and Secretary General of the Web Summit Qatar Organizing Committee; Ahmed Al Haiki, Investor Relations Advisor (Invest Qatar); Mubarak Ali Al Marri, PR Coordinator from the Government Communications Office; as well as Predrag Nikolić, Director of the Center for Digital Transformation (CDT); Nebojša Bjelotomić, Advisor to the President of the CCIS; and Ana Stojanović, Head of the CCIS Center for the Middle East and Africa.