The entrepreneurial journey of a scientist at Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI) was recently celebrated at Qatar Development Bank’s (QDB) Qatar Innovation Hackathon.

Dr. Fadwa El-Mellouhi, Senior Scientist, QEERI, and Associate Professor (Visiting), Texas A&M University at Qatar, was awarded QR25000 for her startup, a digital decarbonization platform that helps entities solve manufacturing challenges while achieving net zero targets. Supported by HBKU’s Innovation Center, the platform is based on her research at QEERI’s Energy Center, which considers novel materials for energy and environment. Dr. El-Mellouhi’s success at Qatar Innovation Hackathon also builds on the showcasing of her startup at Web Summit Qatar 2024. 

Commenting on her award, Dr. El-Mellouhi said: “I am delighted that my project was honored at this year’s Hackathon. The event is a celebration of the creativity, collaboration, and relentless pursuit of development and innovation that defines Qatar’s research ecosystem, which I’m proud to be a part of. My colleagues and I would like to thank QEERI and the Innovation Center, as well as Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council’s Qatar National Research Fund, for their unwavering support for the platform.” 

Qatar Innovation Hackathon 2024 was hosted by HBKU’s Office of Innovation and Industrial Relations at Education City’s Minaretein Center.