Doha, Qatar – [February 3, 2026] – Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), a leading global non-profit organization that supports massively scalable, science- and technology-based startups, today announced the launch of CDL-Doha, its first site in Asia.
Operated in partnership by ESMT Berlin (CDL Berlin), in collaboration with HEC Paris (CDL Paris), CDL-Doha will provide a new platform for science-driven innovation in the region. The program is funded by founding partners Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council (QRDI). This collaboration aligns with Qatar’s broader innovation strategy of building the country’s progress to become a global hub for research, innovation, and sustainable development, and national RDI priorities.
CDL-Doha will launch with three streams focused on critical areas of global impact: CDL AI, CDL Health, and CDL AgriFood. Each stream will support up to 20 ventures annually, connecting founders with world-class mentors including serial entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders, and researchers.
Applications for founders interested in participating in CDL-Doha will open in April 2026.
CDL-Doha joins a global network of 16 locations across 10 countries, further strengthening CDL’s international ecosystem of science-based ventures, mentors, and investors. Last year alone, CDL has expanded to five new sites: CDL-Texas at Mays Business School, Texas A&M; CDL-Milan at Politecnico di Milano and Bocconi University; CDL-San Sebastián at IESE Business School and BIC Gipuzkoa; CDL-London at Imperial College London; and now expands further in 2026 with the launch of CDL-Doha.
More information is available at creativedestructionlab.com.
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“By joining forces with QIA, ESMT Berlin, Creative Destruction Lab, we will significantly strengthen Qatar’s role as a regional and global player in deep-tech innovation. Through these programs, we aim to attract leading global deep-tech companies, while accelerating the commercialization of the outstanding science emerging from our universities and knowledge institutes,” said Eng. Omar Al-Ansari, Secretary General, Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation (QRDI) Council.
“We are looking forward to empowering researchers and entrepreneurs in Qatar and beyond. Our goal is to translate groundbreaking research into viable ventures by driving the commercialization of new technologies in the area,” notes Thorsten Lambertus, CDL-Berlin Site Lead & Managing Director, DEEP – Institute for Deep Tech Innovation at ESMT Berlin.
“HEC Paris welcomes the launch of CDL in Doha as an important step in strengthening the region’s innovation ecosystem and remains fully committed to contributing to its success. Looking ahead, as HEC Paris has been supporting human capacity development in partnership with Qatar Foundation since 2010, we hope this marks the beginning of Doha’s development as a leading hub for CDL streams. We look forward to additional opportunities for deeper collaboration in CDL-Doha, between ESMT and HEC Paris, as well as other strategic stakeholders in Qatar,” stated Inge Kerkloh‑Devif, Senior Executive Director at the HEC Paris Innovation & Entrepreneurship Institute and CDL‑Paris Co‑Site Lead Executive.
About Creative Destruction Lab
Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a nonprofit organization that delivers an objectives-based program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies. Its nine-month program allows founders to learn from experienced entrepreneurs, increasing their likelihood of success. Founded by Professor Ajay Agrawal in 2012 at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, the program has expanded and now has 16 sites across ten countries: Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Halifax, Paris, Madison, Seattle, Estonia, Berlin, Melbourne, College Station, Milan, London, San Sebastian, and Doha. Learn more at creativedestructionlab.com.
About ESMT Berlin
ESMT Berlin is a leading global business school with its campus in the heart of Berlin. Founded by 25 global companies, ESMT offers master, MBA, and PhD programs, as well as executive education on its campus in Berlin, in locations around the world, online, and in online blended format. Focusing on leadership, innovation, and analytics, its diverse faculty publishes outstanding research in top academic journals. Additionally, the international business school provides an interdisciplinary platform for discourse between politics, business, and academia. ESMT is a non-profit private institution of higher education with the right to grant PhDs and is accredited by AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, and ZEvA. It is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion across all its activities and communities.
About HEC Paris
Founded in 1881 by the Paris Chamber of Commerce, HEC Paris is a leading European business school with the ambition to make a positive impact on both business and society. Its mission is driven by a unique “Think, Teach, Act” approach, aimed at fostering a more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous world. With 167 research professors from around the globe, HEC Paris produces and shares cutting-edge knowledge with over 5,000 students from more than 130 countries. Its campus serves as a true laboratory of innovation and dialogue, fully engaged with the world’s diversity and global challenges.
Guided by its five founding values — Excellence, Curiosity, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Diversity, and Responsibility — HEC Paris offers a comprehensive portfolio of programs designed for tomorrow’s leaders: Bachelor’s, Grande École, Specialized Masters, MSc, Summer School, MBA, Executive MBA, TRIUM Global Executive MBA, PhD, and a wide range of executive education programs for managers and senior leaders.
