Tribune News Network
Doha
The Centre for Entrepreneurship and Institutional Excellence at the College of Business and Economics at Qatar University (QU) organised the fourth edition of ‘Cash Catch Competition’, a vibrant affair that brought together fourth-year students enrolled in the Entrepreneurship course under the guidance of Prof Sara Al-Maadeed, assistant professor of Management and associate director for Technology Marketing at QU.
The top four winners of the competition were honoured in the presence of Dr Saud bin Abdullah Al Attiyah, deputy undersecretary for economic affairs at the Ministry of Finance, Sheikha Al-Anoud bint Hamad Al-Thani, deputy CEO of Qatar Financial Centre, and Dr Rana Sobh, dean of the College of Business and Economics, as well as entrepreneurs, faculty members and college staff.
A spirited participation of over 200 male and female students marked the competition, each meticulously primed through a student-centric entrepreneurial education model. The course aimed to instil crucial entrepreneurial qualities in graduates, equipping them to crystallize innovative project ideas, conduct thorough feasibility studies, and proficiently craft comprehensive business plans for their projects.
Over the span of two days, the competition unfolded with an impressive turnout of more than 2,000 students actively engaging in the voting process. A panel of experts meticulously evaluated the projects. Among the distinguished evaluators Iman Al Busti, president of Qatari Women Association for Economic Awareness and Investment; Mishal Al-Najem, an esteemed entrepreneur and member of the Entrepreneurship Club; and Abdulla Al-Mansoori, CEO of Qatar Career Development Centre, alongside other prominent figures in Qatar’s business and development sphere.
Within the university’s sphere, a proficient arbitration team specialising in entrepreneurship lent their expertise. Dr Hitmi Al-Hitmi and Dr Mazen Al-Masri, as well as Dr Khaled Al-Banna and Emad Saif from the Strategic Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Economic Development Office at QU, have formed part of this esteemed group. Notably, Sultan Al Nuaimi, the previous edition’s winner of the Entrepreneurship Event competition, also contributed as a student member of the panel.
The inaugural day witnessed the presence of Dr Rana Sobh, dean of the College of Business and Economics, and Dr Said Al-Banna, director of the Entrepreneurship and Academic Excellence Centre at the College of Business and Economics.
The event attracted representatives from various financial entities, exemplified by the participation of organizations like the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Qatar Development Bank, and Qatar International Islamic Bank. Their presence underscored the significance and relevance of the entrepreneurial initiatives showcased at the event.
Dr Saud bin Abdullah Al Attiyah shared his entrepreneurship experience with the students, offering advice and guidance, emphasizing Qatar’s significant support for entrepreneurs. He stressed the importance of taking serious steps to turn their ideas into real companies, citing his own journey as an example, where he transformed his graduation research into a successful Qatari company named ‘Snoonu,’ now holding hundreds of millions.
Dr Said Al-Banna highlighted the significance of this event, affirming the college and its dean’s role in increasing interest in this field through purposeful initiatives to promote entrepreneurship and support young entrepreneurs in collaboration with relevant entities in the country.
Dr Sara Al-Maadeed, the initiator of the ‘Cash Catch Competition’ and a professor of entrepreneurship and small project management, mentioned that fourth-year students were trained on how to analyse business environment trends to crystallise a new idea and conduct feasibility studies and a business plan. She spoke about the efforts put into making it a success and the steps that would be taken to honour the top four in this course and competition, which falls under the university’s entrepreneurship development and support, welcoming the distinguished presence at the event and thanking the organizing team for their efforts.
Following rigorous evaluation by the judging committee, the top three outstanding projects were duly recognized for their entrepreneurial merit. Securing the coveted first place was ‘QUbodcast’ by students Hemyan Al Subaii, Mariam Al-Ya’fai, Reem Al Darwish, Mariam Al-Ali, and Mona Al-Yahry. The second-place entrepreneurial project was ‘Students Rent Platform’ by Mona Al-Muhannadi, Wassan Mohammed, Hessa Al-Muftah, Moudi Al-Marri, and Nora Al-Bakar.
The third-place entrepreneurial project was ‘Organic Colors’ by Moza Al-Kuwari, Moza Al-Mahmoud, Fatima Al-Mulla, Fatima Al-Mansoori, Sara Al-Emadi, and Sara Al-Subaie. The fourth-place entrepreneurial project was ‘Artificial Intelligence Films’ by Haya Al-Qahtani, Mariam Abdullah, Nora Al-Adhba, Fatima Hussein, Shaima Al-Abdullah, and Nora Al-Merri.The winners received tangible prizes.
Moreover, special acknowledgment was extended to the creators of the best entrepreneurial project video, adding another dimension to the celebration of entrepreneurial excellence at the event.
