Ambassador of Italy to Qatar H E Paolo Toschi and CEO of Invest Qatar, Sheikh Ali Alwaleed Al-Thani visiting the Italian pavilion at Web Summit Qatar 2026 yesterday. PIC: Arsalan Altaf / The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Italy marked a significant milestone at Web Summit Qatar 2026 with its first-ever institutional participation, underscoring the growing depth of relations between Rome and Doha and a shared ambition to expand cooperation in innovation, technology and high-value industries.
The Italian presence is led by a national pavilion, coordinated by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), under the Embassy of Italy in Doha, showcasing more than 20 innovative Italian companies and startups operating across advanced sectors, including artificial intelligence, fintech, smart cities, digital transformation, biotechnology and sustainable technologies.
Speaking to The Peninsula on the sidelines of Web Summit Qatar, Ambassador of Italy to Qatar H E Paolo Toschi said the institutional debut reflects a deliberate decision to elevate innovation and high-end technology as core pillars of bilateral cooperation.
“We have around 20 companies supported by the Italian Embassy and the Italian Trade Agency, ITA. This is the first time Italy is present institutionally at Web Summit Qatar and the reason is that following up on the conversations and the great friendship between the two countries, led by H H the Amir and Prime Minister Meloni, we decided to upgrade our commitment to innovation and high-end technology as areas of partnership between the two countries,” the Ambassador said.
Ambassador Toschi highlighted Italy’s strong entrepreneurial base, particularly its globally recognised ecosystem of small and medium-sized enterprises and startups. “As you know, Italy is leading in innovation, it is leading in the dynamic spirit of entrepreneurship, particularly of our small and medium enterprises, where we have record numbers globally in terms of numbers of small and medium enterprises per capita, and start-ups are part of this ecosystem,” he noted.
He stressed that Italian startups see Qatar as a strategic partner for investment, project development and international expansion.
“Italian start-ups are looking at partnering with Qatar in terms of investing here, in terms of developing new projects, in terms of expanding their international presence, and so they’re finding at Web Summit a terrific opportunity for growth, I would say for common growth with Qatar and other global players.”
On the broader impact of Web Summit Qatar, Ambassador Toschi pointed to the event’s rapid rise on the global technology calendar. “It is evidently growing, we see the buzz, we see the energy, we see the numbers,” he said, adding that interest in Italy ahead of this year’s edition was particularly strong.
“In Italy, I have to tell you there was great excitement about this edition,” he said, noting that Italian companies at the pavilion had met CEO of Invest Qatar, Sheikh Ali Alwaleed Al-Thani, as well as potential investors and business partners. “So, I think there is acute awareness that this is an opportunity not to be missed on a global scale and this opportunity fits right into the relationship that the two countries enjoy, which is a relationship that continues to expand.”
Ambassador Toschi also underlined Italy’s policy focus on what he described as “diplomacy for growth.” “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is devoting an increased focus to what we call diplomacy for growth, meaning our job is really aimed at creating opportunities together,” he said. “We are here to make a difference, we are here to create opportunities together. The two countries have a very special relationship,” he added.
The Ambassador identified several sectors with strong potential for further cooperation. “One is transportation infrastructure, whether it is railway, whether it is intermodal, and all the systems that go with these areas. Italy represents some of the best technology and some of the most solid and successful players in the world and we’re partnering with Qatar very successfully,” he said.
He also highlighted biotech and food security as priority areas. “Another one is biotech, where we have also leading players at a global level, both in terms of technology, biotech technology, but also in terms of the ability to provide the end user with high-end products.”
On food security, Ambassador Toschi recalled Italy’s role at Expo Doha 2023. “We were one of the leading players in Expo Doha 2023. It’s an experience that allowed us to deepen our roots.”
Web Summit Qatar, he concluded, represents a key platform for Italy’s growth diplomacy, reinforcing Italy’s positioning as a reliable and strategic partner for Qatar’s Vision 2030 through innovation-led, public-private collaboration.
