By Raynald C Rivera

DOHA: An object-tracking device and a fire protection suit are the winners at the eighth edition of Mubadara Annual Young Entrepreneurs Competition hosted by Injaz Qatar.

The all-female team from Qatar University bagged the Best Student Company of The Year Award university level for their product called ‘Qaho ‘a device and application that helps track lost valuable objects.’

Norman Kreutter Business Services Manager ExxonMobil the award’s sponsor handed them the trophy at a ceremony held last night at Katara.

A seed funding of QR35000 from Boeing to help support their enterprise and ongoing support by Qatar Business Incubation Center were among the prizes they received. They will also represent Qatar at the Injaz Al Arab Young Enterprise of the Year Competition to be held in Muscat this year.

The team from Al Resala Independent Secondary School for Girls won the award in the high school category for their product ‘Save Yourself’ an outfit to protect evacuators during fire. They will also represent the country at the regional competition in Oman.

Mubadara 2015 is a competition for student enterprises established through Junior Achievement’s globally recognised “Company Program. Student teams establish and run a real business for over four months with the guidance of professionals from leading businesses across Qatar. Speaking at the ceremony the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Rabia Mohamed Al Kaabi said “The youth of Qatar will play an increasingly important role in delivering the Qatar National Vision 2030 — the Mubadara programme and its outstanding young entrepreneurs clearly illustrate the talent that is being nurtured through this innovative education programme to help secure our nation’s future prosperity.”

“The students taking part in this year’s Young Enterprise Competition have been inspiring — we congratulate them all. The dedication creativity team work and developing business acumen seen in this year’s categories has been exceptional. On behalf of everyone involved in the programme as a participant business mentor or financial supporter I’d like to say thank you for your contribution” said Injaz-Qatar Chairperson Sheikha Hanadi bint Nasser bin Khaled Al Thani.

Other winners in the High school level were E Order’ from Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Thani Independent School for Boys (Most Innovative Product or Service Award) ‘Smart Recycle’ from Al Shaimaa Independent School for Girls (Best Marketing Plan Award) ‘Re-glass’ from Tareq Bin Ziad Independent School for Boys (Best Social Impact Award) ‘Do Something Different’ from Al Kawthar Independent School for Girls (Best Public Presentation Award) ‘The Echo’ from Al Wakra Independent School for Boys (Best Annual Report Award) and ‘Gas Detection Service’ from Mosab Bin Omer Independent School for Boys (Best Booth Display Award).

At the university level other awardees were ‘Q-cycle’ from Qatar University (Most Innovative Product/Service award) ‘Ptactica’ from Qatar University (Best Marketing Plan Award) and ‘Q-cycle’ from Qatar University (Best Social Impact Award).

The Peninsula