Snoonu Hosts UpScrolled Founder Issam Hijazi for a Conversation on Building Technology from the Region

Doha, Qatar – 21 September 2026: Extending the conversations and connections fostered through Qatar Foundation’s BilAraby Annual Gathering, Snoonu, in collaboration with the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) Qatar, hosted Issam Hijazi, Founder and CEO of UpScrolled, at Snoonu headquarters in Lusail for a founder-to-founder conversation with Hamad Mubarak Al-Hajri, Founder and CEO of Snoonu.

The session brought together entrepreneurs, members of the EO Qatar community and the Snoonu team for an open exchange on entrepreneurship, technology and the opportunity to build ambitious digital products from the Middle East with global relevance.

Moderated by Nayef Al Ibrahim, Founding President of EO Qatar, the conversation explored what it means to build technology from the region and for its communities, while creating products capable of reaching audiences far beyond it. It also reflected the wider spirit of BilAraby: creating spaces where ideas, experiences and perspectives can travel across communities and inspire new ways of thinking and building.

The session followed the second edition of Qatar Foundation’s BilAraby Annual Gathering, held in Doha on 19 and 20 September under the theme “With Our Ideas, We Build.” The gathering brought together 1,600 participants for conversations spanning technology, entrepreneurship, community knowledge, peacebuilding, and the role of Arabic in knowledge, education and media.

During the conversation, Hijazi reflected on his journey from technology and leadership roles at global companies including IBM, Oracle and Hitachi to founding UpScrolled and building the platform from the ground up. Today, UpScrolled has grown to more than 5 million users, while developing a social media model centred on greater user control, transparency and technology ethics.

The discussion also explored the importance of building independent digital products from the region that respond to the realities and needs of local communities, rather than simply replicating models developed elsewhere. For Hijazi, the journey with UpScrolled reflects the opportunity for entrepreneurs from the Middle East to turn regional talent, ideas and lived experiences into products with relevance on a global scale.

For Hamad Al-Hajri, creating spaces where founders can exchange experiences and challenge their thinking is an important part of building a stronger entrepreneurial community in Qatar and the wider region.

“We have incredible entrepreneurs, innovators and ideas coming out of our region, and we need to create more opportunities for them to build, experiment and think beyond our borders. Our role is not only to build successful companies ourselves, but also to help create an environment where the next generation of founders can take their ideas from the region to the world and compete at a global level. Hosting conversations like this at Snoonu is one small way we can bring that community together, share experiences and inspire more people to build.”

Hamad Mubarak Al-Hajri, Founder and CEO of Snoonu

Reflecting on his own journey and approach to technology, Issam Hijazi said:

“Building technology from our region comes with its own challenges, but also a tremendous opportunity. We have the talent, the ideas and the lived experiences to build products that can have global relevance. For me, the journey with UpScrolled has always been about putting people first — giving users more control and being transparent about how the platform works.”

Issam Hijazi, Founder and CEO of UpScrolled

The session offered a candid exchange on building, scaling and leading technology businesses from the Middle East, while highlighting the growing opportunities for founders to create products that originate in the region and compete in global markets.

For Snoonu, the gathering reflects its continued commitment to supporting Qatar’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and creating meaningful spaces for founders, innovators and business leaders to connect, exchange experiences and encourage the next generation of ideas to move from the region to the world.

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