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Activity + revenue model + data + product

Starting a digital or AI business in Qatar: activity, model and platform

A software or AI company needs more than a technical idea: the right activity code, responsible data model, measurable MVP and a sales journey that explains value without overstating capability.

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Government sources verified: 28 October 2026View sources
AIMonitored flow
UserPermission
DataSource & retention
APISafe integration
ReviewHuman in loop
12 activitiestechnical and research
10 Nowith office note for IT
7 layersin the MVP map
01

Define the business type before choosing technology

Visual explainerDigital venture spectrum
01SaaS
02Platform
03App
04AI
05Consulting
  • Custom software company: sells projects, delivery and support.
  • SaaS: sells recurring access to a standardised product and plans.
  • Marketplace: connects parties and needs clear roles, payments and responsibilities.
  • AI consultancy: sells diagnosis, use-case design, integration and monitoring—not the phrase “AI” alone.
  • R&D differs from selling a finished product or operational consultancy.
02

Official codes and the important note

The technical, data and AI activities below are officially listed, but most have Digital Flag = No, and the IT rows state that companies use an office. They must not be presented as premises-free virtual companies.

In this path12official activities
Digital Flag0marked Yes
Additional review12marked No
12 activities
CodeOfficial activityCategoryTierFlagMinistry note
620102Designing and programming special softwareSoftware & IT Development4No
620103Maintenance of web pages, software and designSoftware & IT Development4No
620104AI systems programming and developmentSoftware & IT Development4No
620200Computer consultancy and facilities managementSoftware & IT Development4No
620201CybersecuritySoftware & IT Development4No
620202AI consultancy and solutionsSoftware & IT Development4No
620900Other IT and computer service activitiesSoftware & IT Development4No
631102Data processing and machine learningData, Hosting & Web4No
631201Website designingData, Hosting & Web4No
631209Other web portal activitiesData, Hosting & Web4No
721007AI research and developmentResearch & Development4No
722009Research and experimental development in other social sciences and humanitiesResearch & Development4No

Open the official activity PDF · English names are retained from the official column; Arabic text describes the Ministry category.

03

Choose the revenue and responsibility model

Visual explainerRevenue and responsibility matrix
MRRSubscription
IPLicence
APIUsage
%Commission
  • Subscription: what is the unit, period, usage limit and cancellation rule?
  • Licence: who owns code, updates and data after delivery?
  • Usage-based: how is consumption measured and bill shock prevented?
  • Commission: who is seller, provider and refund owner?
04

A seven-layer MVP map

Visual explainerMVP layers: user to monitoring
1User
2Problem
3Flow
4Data
5Access
6API
7Monitor
  1. 01

    User

    One clear persona and permissions, not a generic audience.

  2. 02

    Problem

    A costly decision or task whose improvement can be measured.

  3. 03

    Workflow

    Inputs, processing, review and a usable output.

  4. 04

    Data

    Source, right to use, quality and retention.

  5. 05

    Permissions

    Who can view, edit, export and delete.

  6. 06

    Integrations

    Documented APIs with safe failure and logs.

  7. 07

    Monitoring

    Accuracy, cost, latency, errors and human review.

05

Trust and privacy in an AI product

Visual explainerTrust and privacy shield
Provable trust
01Purpose02Minimise03Access04Safe metrics
  • State what the system does, does not do and when human review is needed.
  • Do not collect data “for later” without purpose, retention and authority.
  • Separate client data, define export/deletion and log sensitive actions.
  • Do not publish accuracy or savings claims without a measurement method and documented case.
06

B2B sales and answer-engine visibility

Start with one use case, a repeatable demo, limited pilot and agreed success measure. Publish documentation, terminology, questions and use cases instead of generic “business transformation” pages.

Visual explainerB2B growth flywheel
Q
01Use case02Proof03Demo04Follow-up
  • LinkedIn and technical content suit B2B when they show workflow and outcome, not hype.
  • Google & AI: entity definition, docs, glossary, use cases, references and current releases.
From knowledge to execution

Where Q-DASH services fit

Each service is attached to a specific stage; we do not repeat the full service catalogue or present Q-DASH as a licensing authority.

01

MVP & custom systems

Turn the workflow into testable UI, permissions, APIs and monitoring.

Explore service →02

UX for complex products

Explain decisions, limits and errors instead of hiding them behind attractive UI.

Explore service →03

SEO/GEO & B2B content

Documentation, use cases and solution pages for people and answer engines.

Explore service →
FAQ

Practical questions before the next step

01Is 620104 enough to launch an AI product?

It covers AI system programming and development, but the product may need other activities or approvals depending on sector, sales and data.

02Are technical activities premises-free?

Do not assume so. Most are flagged No and the official note states that IT service companies use an office.

03Should I start with a full application?

Start with the smallest workflow proving problem, outcome and demand, then expand from real usage data.

04How does an AI product appear in search?

Through documentation, definitions, use cases, disciplined comparisons and entity data—not repeating “AI” or invisible schema.

Government sources and verification date

01194-activity file — MOCIPDF · 202602Decision No. 25 of 2026 — Al MeezanEffective 16 March 202603E-licence service — Single WindowFee, duration and requirements

Last verified: 28 October 2026. Recheck fees and requirements when applying because government portals may update their information.

This guide is general information to help you prepare; it is not legal advice or a substitute for the official authorities. Q-DASH is not a government body and does not issue licences or commercial registrations; the final decision rests with the competent authority.

A clear next step, not a generic package

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