This unprecedented growth rate is creating opportunities and formidable challenges for this country. As stated in Qatar’s National Vision 2030, the country will keep on implementing important initiatives that will make Qatar move forward while remaining anchored to its authenticity and traditional values.
This stimulating and dynamic environment will act as a frame for the 12th INSME Annual Meeting, a multicultural networking event on the topic “Enabling Smart SMEs as Key to Success” organized by INSME in collaboration with Qatar Development Bank. Under the patronage of Qatar’s Prime Minister, the three-day initiative will mark a unique and constructive moment for the INSME Community to come together to set strategic goals and discuss operational actions that will have a positive impact on SMEs.
INTERNATIONAL TRENDS
It is widely recognized that SMEs competitiveness relies heavily on innovation and the Annual Meeting will be an all-round initiative contributing to creating a better support services landscape to guide SMEs’ decisions and make them more competitive on global markets.
The Annual Meeting will span across the most recent innovation developments on the international agenda and explore new frontiers of knowledge through three panels:
– Ecosystems to Support SME Innovation and Smart Growth
The session will elaborate on why and how SMART innovation helps foster SMARTER and more engaging cities – in the very near future – will be different and what is needed today to modernize them or build new ones in order to best exploit their innovation potential to the benefit of entrepreneurship.
– Driving Financial Inclusion for Start-ups and SMEs – Unlocking Investment and Access to Smart Capital
This session will look into innovative models of smart access to capital, including the more and more impacting Crowdfunding, further newly established innovative risk funds offered by the diversifying financial actors’ community dedicated to SMEs and will also touch Islamic Finance and its global relevance.
– Putting People First – Smart SMEs matching Trends and Talents in the “Fast-Forward-Society”
This session will discuss implications on education and vocational training to tackle the big demands and high expectations of the consumers and to stimulate a paradigm shift towards a competitive knowledge intensive economy by focussing – among others – on the difference between leadership skills for smart entrepreneurs and the ability to simply manage and administer proper business.
LOCAL ENVIRONMENT
Participants will also experience the unique flavor of Qatar’s innovation and entrepreneurship culture with an Innovation Tour on the 14th of April. Under the guidance of local professionals, participants will have the chance to live the creative environment of Qatar Science & Technology Park, Qatar’s primary technology start-up incubator and technology development accelerator.
Attendees will be inspired by the expertise of local companies, international corporations and research institutes that have jointly work to fund ventures, create intellectual property, enhance technology management skills, and develop innovative products in line with the goals foreseen in Qatar National Vision 2030.
PUTTING INNOVATION INTO PRACTICE
A more practical approach toward nurturing a culture of innovation will be the focus of the International INSME – QDB Expert Training on “Design Thinking for Innovation in Practice – an Effective Toolkit to Manage Competitiveness” on the afternoon of the 14th of April.
A team of globally recognized practitioners of Design Thinking will share a set of systematic methodologies and tools to make a business more efficient and effective. Led by Mr. David Moore, Managing Director at Zero Nine Design and Guest Instructor at Stanford’s Design Program, the international training will enable participants to generate better outcomes by using a problem – solving approach and unleash their inner creativity to discover the potential opportunities hiding within an organization.
The training is based on a model of highly interactive learning allowing participants to share their experiences, benchmark their innovation performances and receive useful tips from the experts.
WHY TO ATTEND?
Keep-up with international trends
Stay up-to-date with current trends that are shaping the innovation processes worldwide.
Access high-level expertise
Network and exchange ideas with executive-level experts and pave the way toward joint collaborations.
Get in contact with the local growing market
Take advantage of a priority access to the market potential of Qatar.
Have your say!
The Annual Meeting is meant to be an interactive opportunity. Your inputs and ideas are more than welcome!
REGISTRATION
Join more than 500 leaders, decision makers, international organizations, business support service representatives and innovation stakeholders from ca. 50+ different countries that will gather at Doha to brainstorm on the most effective ways to advance together in this exciting journey of innovation and collaboration.
Register now to the 12th INSME Annual Meeting and do not miss the early bird rate deadline on the 11th of March 2016!
For any further information, please click here.
