Doha, Qatar – Azerbaijan is setting its sights on expanding its technology startups into Qatar, as both nations intensify efforts to build resilient, innovation-driven digital economies.
Speaking to The Peninsula, Tugra Musayeva, Chief Innovation Officer of PASHA Holding, highlighted the strong alignment between the two countries’ economic transformation agendas. PASHA Holding, Azerbaijan’s largest asset manager with a diversified portfolio across financial and non-financial sectors, sees significant opportunity in Qatar’s fintech, proptech, and insurtech landscape.
“We see Qatar as a huge untapped market in terms of fintech, property tech, and insurtech solutions, where we have strong expertise,” Musayeva said. She noted that Azerbaijan is keen to support the “soft landing” of its startups and portfolio companies into the Qatari market, leveraging existing integrations within PASHA’s ecosystem.
Musayeva emphasized that both Qatar and Azerbaijan face similar institutional and organizational challenges as they transition from resource-based to knowledge-led economies. She pointed out that shared priorities — including infrastructure development, talent cultivation, and capital allocation — create fertile ground for collaboration.
“We see the rush to develop human talent and infrastructure on one hand, and the ambition to transform that into capacity building and knowledge generation on the other. This unites us,” she said.
Her remarks came during Web Summit Qatar 2026, where discussions centered on regional innovation priorities, public-private collaboration, and overcoming ecosystem challenges. According to Musayeva, effective partnership between governments and corporate players is essential for sustainable digital growth.
She stressed that innovation initiatives cannot rely solely on government leadership. Instead, corporate actors must play an active role by hiring and training talent, allocating capital through venture capital funds, launching corporate venture capital initiatives, and becoming early adopters and clients of startups.
“That’s what we do at PASHA Holding — not just sponsoring educational programs, but actively participating in the ecosystem. That’s the fastest way to deliver results,” she said.
The collaboration between Qatar and Azerbaijan, Musayeva added, has the potential to position both countries as emerging regional digital hubs through shared expertise, market access support, and coordinated ecosystem development.
Both nations continue to invest strategically in innovation, infrastructure, and talent development as they reshape their economic futures in an increasingly digital global landscape.
