From Doha to Silicon Valley: Vora Wins Startup World Cup Qatar Regional 2026
Doha, Qatar
The Startup World Cup Qatar Regional 2026 successfully concluded in Doha on 29 September 2026, held as part of QFEX 2026 at the Hilton Doha – West Bay, bringing together startups from Qatar and international markets in another milestone in the growing collaboration between Afaq Events Management and Startup World Cup, powered by Pegasus Tech Ventures.
The final competition featured 12 selected startups, each taking the stage in Doha to pitch their venture before an international seven-member Judging Panel.
Each finalist delivered a four-minute live pitch followed by a Judges’ Q&A. Startups were independently evaluated against seven criteria: creativity and innovation, problem and solution, market opportunity and reception, competitive advantage, business model, and team strength.
Following the consolidation of the judges’ scores, Qatar-based startup Vora, led by Founder & CEO Anas Rustom, achieved the highest overall score and was officially crowned Startup World Cup Qatar Regional 2026 Winner.
Vora will now represent the Qatar Regional at the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in Silicon Valley, joining regional champions from around the world on the global stage. QFEX has also publicly announced Rustom and Vora’s Qatar Regional victory and advancement to the Grand Finale.
The winner announcement was followed by an official trophy presentation and celebration. In a special closing moment, all 12 finalists returned to the stage together for the official Qatar Regional group photograph, bringing the entire 2026 finalist cohort together to conclude the competition.
Seven-Member International Judging Panel
The final Judging Panel included:
Dr. Khaldoun Nusair – Chairman, Afaq Group ●
Roberto Nieves – Co-Founder & Managing Director, Cabra Venture Partners ●
Muamar Magam – Managing Partner, Quintus LTC – Chief Judge ●
Dr. Marwa Salah – CEO, Marwa Salah Foundation ●
Rashid Al-Derham – Co-Founder & CEO, Madad ●
Nasser Al-Kuwari – AI & Digital Transformation in Energy●
Oscar Carreón – Co-Founder & Managing Director, Cabra Venture Partners ●
The Qatar Regional also welcomed Alex Lubnevskiy, Ambassador, Startup World Cup / Pegasus Tech Ventures, who delivered the Startup World Cup presentation and attended the live competition and winner ceremony in Doha.
The competition attracted a strong audience as part of QFEX 2026. Qatar News Agency also reported, in its coverage of the QFEX opening, that the summit was hosting the Startup World Cup regional qualifiers, with the winning Qatari startup advancing to the international competition in the United States.
From Amman to Doha
The Qatar Regional followed the successful Startup World Cup Amman Regional 2026, held in Amman, Jordan, on 24 June 2026 as part of GWTS 2026. The official Startup World Cup and GWTS pages confirm the Amman Regional and its date.
The Amman Regional attracted more than 70 startup applications, with 13 startups ultimately taking part in the live pitching competition before a seven-member judging panel.
BALESH, founded by Suhail Qubti, emerged as the Amman Regional winner and secured its place on the global stage.
The two successful Regionals marked two milestones during 2026 in the Afaq–Startup World Cup collaboration:
Amman – 24 June 2026●
Doha – 29 September 2026●
— with two Regional Champions progressing from the region toward the global Startup World Cup stage in Silicon Valley.
Startup World Cup, powered by Pegasus Tech Ventures, is a leading global startup competition platform, operating more than 100 regional competitions worldwide, with finalists ultimately competing for a USD 1 million investment prize at the Grand Finale.
Following the successful delivery of both the Amman and Doha Regionals, Afaq Events Management continues to expand its regional collaboration with Startup World Cup, connecting startups and entrepreneurs across the region with an international platform of founders, investors and innovation leaders.
About Afaq Events Management
Afaq Events Management is a leading Jordan-based events, conferences and exhibitions company, organizing the annual QFEX summit in Doha alongside other major regional events across Jordan and the Gulf. Afaq connects startups, investors and industry leaders with global platforms that drive growth and innovation across the region.
About Startup World Cup
Startup World Cup is the world’s largest startup competition, organized by Pegasus Tech Ventures. Held annually across more than 100 regional competitions worldwide, Startup World Cup brings regional winners together at the Grand Finale in Silicon Valley to compete for a total investment prize of USD 1 million.
