From tech and products to architecture and interiors, design is building a better future while bringing depth and cultural variety to brand identity. Design is becoming even more critical amid the climate crisis and technological uncertainties.

Last year saw the contentious expansion of AI. Depending on your perspective, it will either replace jobs or accelerate innovation. However, many are optimistic that AI will enable more design – human judgment and machine content generation can enhance one another.

This April, bringing together innovators, including some of the top leaders in business, tech, and entertainment, architects, and designers, Fast Company Middle East is launching the Innovation By Design Summit in Doha to deliberate on how design at all levels can improve processes, create new products, and invent new ways of doing business.

Msheireb Properties, Qatar’s premier real estate developer, has joined as the host and strategic partner. The summit will be hosted on April 24 at Doha Design District, which is fast emerging as one of the most vital hubs for creatives.

Talking about the partnership, Eng. Ali Mohammed Al Kuwari, CEO of Msheireb Properties, said, “Launching the Middle East’s first-ever Innovation By Design Summit in the city steeped in design legacy is a symbolic choice that puts regional design expertise and ingenuity on the global map. We are certain that the Doha Design District will serve as a fertile foundation for interaction, supporting the exchange of ideas and design innovations among the brilliant minds and creative visionaries joining us in April.”

Doha Design District Senior Manager Shaikha Al Sulaiti shared more details about the host location of the Innovation By Design Summit. “Doha Design District has emerged as a dynamic, regional hub for the global creative community. It will continue to grow and welcome anyone interested in art, design, and culture, an inclusive vision we are eager to promote as hosts of the Innovation by Design Summit. We are excited to take on this role as ambassadors of the region’s vast and diverse creative talent to the world.” 

Ravi Raman, the publisher of Fast Company Middle East, added, “In a complex and fast-paced world, design thinking and problem-solving mindset is essential. Businesses and even countries must prioritize thoughtful design to gain a competitive edge. And Innovation by Design Summit promises to explore unique ways design can drive innovation and inclusive growth.”

In an era of globalized culture, this one-day summit in the Middle East will delve into how global design trends can be given a local context and how culturally aware design can lead to enriching results. 

The event, taking place at Msheireb Downtown Doha, will be attended by over 400 business leaders, design experts, artists, and architects to discuss and seek insights on how design can lead the way in sustainability by striking a balance in growth and inclusion in urban design, and ways to identify and support high-potential talent and rethink our design standards and celebrate different points of view.

Delve deeper into the design-thinking process and global design trends, encompassing urban planning, biophilic design, immersive technologies, and more, at the Innovation By Design Summit, partnered with Msheireb Properties, in Doha on April 24. Attendance at the Innovation by Design Summit is by invitation only. Delegates can register here to receive their exclusive invite.