• Startup Grind Doha hosted the All Star Pitch Battle at Qatar Chamber in Lusail, with 150+ attendees celebrating Qatar’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. Out of 51 applicants, 21 startups were selected to pitch.
• Be My Sense took first place, winning $1,500 and a trophy, advancing to represent Qatar in the regional semi-finals. PitchPro.me and paintit.ai secured second and third place respectively, while Meta Souq received the Most Creative Pitch Award.
• Be My Sense impressed judges with its AI-powered sign language translation platform, designed to break communication barriers for the hearing-impaired in education, entertainment, and daily life.

Press release:

Startup Grind Doha Chapter successfully hosted on the 15th September the highly anticipated All Star Pitch Battle, an electrifying evening that highlighted the strength and creativity of Qatar’s startup ecosystem with over 150 people from the ecosystem attending the event held at the Qatar Chamber in Lusail. The event underscored Qatar’s growing position as a hub for entrepreneurship and innovation, aligning with the nation’s vision of cultivating a vibrant and globally competitive startup landscape

The journey began with 51 startups in Qatar applying, of which 21 were selected to pitch at the event. The Pitch Battle is part of a global Startup Grind program, held across more than 150 chapters’ worldwide, uniting founders and innovators from diverse markets on one global stage.

After an inspiring and tightly contested competition, the winners of the Doha Edition were announced:

• First Place: Be My Sense – Received USD 1500 and trophy and advanced to represent Qatar in the regional semi-finals
• Second Place: PitchPro.me
• Third Place: paintit.ai
• Most Creative Pitch Award: Meta Souq

Be My Sense stood out for its impactful solution — an AI-powered platform designed to empower the hearing-impaired community. Through real-time sign language translation, the platform breaks communication barriers in education, entertainment, and daily life, placing accessibility at the heart of digital innovation.

Startup Grind Doha extends its heartfelt congratulations to all 21 startups that pitched, whose ideas and energy demonstrated the depth of talent within Qatar’s innovation ecosystem.

The event was made possible thanks to the invaluable partnership with the Youth Entrepreneurship Club (YEC) and Qatar Chamber, who generously hosted the evening at their prestigious venue. Special appreciation also goes to Builders | VC MENA, the official sponsor of the Pitch Battle, for their unwavering support in bringing this event to life.

Tarik Sultan, Builders VC MENA, said:“The All Star Pitch Battle showcased the ambition and originality that’s defining Qatar’s emerging startup ecosystem. The entrepreneurs who took the stage were not simply presenting ideas; they were offering solutions with the potential to scale globally. At Builders VC MENA, we believe platforms like this are critical in giving founders the visibility, networks, and confidence to translate vision into lasting value.”

Abdulrahman Tariq Al Emadi, Vice President of the Youth Entrepreneurship Club (YEC), added:“Our partnership with Startup Grind Doha in the All Star Pitch Battle reflects our commitment to empowering young entrepreneurs in Qatar. By providing a platform for startups to showcase their talent, we are helping to inspire innovation, build confidence, and strengthen the foundations of a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

The competition was judged by a distinguished panel of ecosystem leaders that included venture capitalists, government and ecosystem enablers: Tarik Sultan (Builders VC), Alina Truhina (A_Typical Ventures), Hayfa Al-Abdulla (Qatar Science & Technology Park – QSTP), Omair Alnaimi (Ministry of Communications and Information Technology), Marcel Dridje (EBAN GCC Ambassador), Firas Sleiman (Kaic), and Majed Lababidi (Alchemist Doha). Their insights, feedback, and encouragement were invaluable in identifying the standout winners among a lineup of remarkable startups.

Indica Amarasinghe, Director of Startup Grind Doha, said:“The All Star Pitch Battle was more than just a competition; it was a celebration of the incredible talent and creativity in Qatar’s startup ecosystem. We are proud to provide a platform for these entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and connect with global opportunities. Congratulations to all the participants and winners — the future of innovation in Qatar is truly bright.”