For the first time in history, a Qatari startup has qualified for the world’s largest startup programme, the Hult Prize competition, marking a significant milestone for entrepreneurs in the Gulf state.

Held annually, the Hult Prize is a year-long competition that aims to transform how youth envision their own possibilities as leaders of change globally.

It challenges university students by presenting a pressing social issue around topics such as food security, water access, energy, and education, then crowdsourcing their ideas.

Founded by Ahmad Ashkar and funded by Bertil Hult, the competition offers a staggering $1,000,000 prize to help the winning team launch a social enterprise, making it the perfect challenge for eager entrepreneurs.

How bad is Qatar’s food waste problem?

To win the prize, university student teams from around the world compete to develop profitable projects or companies aimed at solving societal challenges.

For this year, the challenge revolves around rethinking the food system.

The team that comes up with the best project to stimulate economies, reimagine supply chains, and improve the overall outcome for 10 million people by 2030, could get their hands on the million dollar prize.

This year, a Qatari team is up for the challenge.

Led by Kateba al-Ghazali, Sumaya Yusuf, and Nosheen Zehra from Qatar University, team ‘Revive’ aims to introduce new technology to Qatar that will preserve surplus food and redistribute it to those in need.

This will help raise nutrition, significantly reduce surplus food and enhance food security in the Gulf state.

Their innovative idea has already helped the team outperform around 350,000 participants at the competition.

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Their next goal is to dominate the remaining 42 teams from various countries competing for the final award. This will be presented to the winning team by former US President Bill Clinton at the United Nations Headquarters.