Qatar’s expanding innovation ecosystem is attracting international technical talent and fostering the growth of deep-technology startups, according to a local entrepreneur. The country’s advanced digital infrastructure and dedicated incubation programs are providing a platform for tech founders to develop ventures locally rather than relocating abroad, said Arfaz Khan, founder and chief technology officer of the Qatar-based startup ARVIS.
ARVIS, which was incubated at Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), was created by Khan along with co-founders Afnaz Khan and Muhammed Naseef. The founding team, composed of electronics engineering and product design professionals originally from India, developed Adaptive Building Intelligence (ABI) as an operational advisor for managing complex physical facilities. The system integrates with existing Building Management Systems (BMS), heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units, and environmental sensors to compile and analyse daily performance data.
Khan highlighted that Qatar’s environment uniquely combines technical expertise with opportunities to apply innovations within sophisticated infrastructure. Having grown up in Saudi Arabia, trained in engineering in India, and later moving to Qatar, he observed the distinct advantage that Doha’s sensor-rich real estate sector offers for emerging deep-tech startups.
“In Kerala, the prevalence of connected building infrastructure and systems like BMS is relatively limited,” Khan explained. “In Qatar, I saw large buildings equipped with advanced systems, which, coupled with my background in product design, sparked my curiosity and became the foundation for ARVIS.”
The collaboration between international engineering talent and local incubation entities exemplifies how institutional support can transform global skills into national technological capabilities. Access to key industry stakeholders and operational data through QSTP and its network allowed ARVIS to refine its offering and validate its solutions early in the development process.
“Engaging with the people who manage these systems helped us challenge assumptions and improve our technology,” said Khan. He added that such access is crucial for turning conceptual deep-tech ideas into scalable ventures that address real-world infrastructure challenges in Qatar and beyond.