Success Stories
About the Project
Rooda Al Qebaisi set out to improve the lives of event planners everywhere with her Dynamic VIP Seating Manager. Her invention streamlines the process of seating important guests at events while facilitating alternative arrangements in case of last-minute changes.
The Qatari national designed a luxurious chair that is secured by electric lock-latches tied to a designated QR code with built in NFC. This intricate design turns 180-degrees to welcome their designated guest, who scan their QR code on arrival to activate the chair. An online application supplements the chair, holding a live digital map that details where each guest sits and aiding organisers in instances when they need to make alternative arrangements on the fly.
After her Stars of Science journey, she continued to believe in the promise of her project. She started a company, Awalan, with three dedicated employees in Doha, Qatar, to develop her technology - aspiring to equip Qatar’s 2022 FIFA World Cup stadiums with her innovation!
Beyond Stars of Science
Rooda founded Awalan, a company offering smart solutions based on artificial intelligence and IOT technologies. The company grew to count 5 people full time.
Her and the team have completed the prototype adding to it a QR code with built in NFC and they tested the prototype with QDB and other potential customers. The mobile app Smart seat for the seating management has been launched and is available on IOS and Apple Store :
Beside the smart seat management system, they are working on smart parking solutions, smart library management system and smart volunteer management system and smart attendance and visitor management system ( related to COVID 19 new regulations distancing and employee attendance), also working on the e wallet project.
They are currently developing a new smart seat system for Katara hospitalities ( Qatar) and discussing with other potential customers.
Future plans: offering IT services, independent testing services, R&D services, software and product engineering services and other IOT related services.
Awards
The Dynamic VIP Seating Manager had won numerous awards and honours in competitions across Qatar. The company won first place in Qatar Development Bank’s (QDB) Qatar National Business Competition, or “Al Fikra”, Startup category in 2019, receiving three years of incubation office space at QDB and Qatar Business Incubation Center as well as financial and business development support.
It has also gained recognition on the national stage, as the Digital Incubation Center selected Awalan to feature as one of the country’s most promising tech startups at the Qatar Information Technology and Communication Conference and Exhibition (QITCOM 2019), alongside other pioneering inventors based in Qatar.
Rooda credits her Stars of Science journey with helping her realise her innovation, for though she did not make it to the finals; she learned valuable lessons from the jury and experts. “Winning is not everything, and the experience itself is what matters. At Stars of Science, you receive amazing advice and constructive criticism that you simply wouldn’t get anywhere else, which will help guide you outside of the show,” she said.
Personal Reflection
Rooda hopes that Arab youth around the world take inspiration from the show, as she admired the dedication and talent of her competitors and the wisdom and knowledge of the jury and experts.
She is confident that, if given the chance, scientists and entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa can transform the region, exporting inventions that serve communities around the world. They just need to commit to their ideas. “Rejection is your first challenge. Everything else depends on your passion, motivation, and hard work,” she noted.
Follow Rooda on…
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/awalan.smart.3
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rqebaisi/ | https://www.instagram.com/awalan.qa/
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