Stars of Science, the region’s leading ‘edutainment’ reality TV show that has inspired innovators and entrepreneurs across the Arab world, returns this week on MBC4 for its eighth season. Initiated and supported by Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), the new season brings a fresh approach, which will see candidates contributing creative solutions to regional problems within the information technology, energy, environment and health sectors. Stars of Science (SOS), in-line with QF’s mission to encourage a culture of quality and excellence, serves as an instrument to foster creative and innovative thinking among the next generation of ambitious science and technology problem solvers.
For eight years, audiences across the Arab world have seen groups of industrious innovators turn their impactful ideas into reality, developing and selling products around the world, picking up more than 50 international and regional awards along the way, and sharing their knowledge and expertise on an international scale.
Success stories of the show’s alumni, like Anwar Almojarkesh, founder and CEO of Braci, which specializes in assistive technologies for the hearing impaired, send a strong message to Arab youth. Having narrowly missed out on a chance to reach the finals of the program, he went on to successfully launch his business in Denmark and the United Kingdom, raising more than 1,000,000 USD from international angel investors, governments and incubators.
“Stars of Science is the most amazing platform to kick start innovative ideas. Taking part in the program has been one of the most significant and rewarding learning experiences of my life,” said Anwar. His success in raising external funding beyond the program has been replicated by 15 fellow Stars of Science alumni who have also successfully raised more than 9 million USD between them to support the further stages of developing their products.
Fahad Al Qahtani, President of Community Development at QF, said: “At QF, we are always seeking to engage our local community by inspiring creativity and entrepreneurship to further promote scientific innovation in Qatar.”