A Case Study in Disruption
Urban Point was conceived at Mannheim Business School and scaled within Qatar’s innovation-driven economy, becoming the country’s most widely used digital savings platform. Through deep integration with Ooredoo, Qatar’s largest telecom operator, it introduced a new model of consumer engagement that has generated over $100 million in revenue for local SMEs and drives more than 100,000 monthly transactions across food, leisure, beauty, and travel.
Solving the Telco–SME Gap
Urban Point began with a clear challenge: telecom operators were losing engagement to global digital platforms, while small businesses lacked cost-effective ways to reach customers. By connecting telco billing systems to a discovery engine for local offers, Urban Point turned connectivity into commerce—bridging consumers and merchants through everyday savings and rewards.
Built within Qatar’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Urban Point’s growth was shaped by Qatar’s national innovation ecosystem. The company started at the Digital Incubation Center (DIC) under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MOTC), where it received technical guidance and early-stage support. It later advanced through the Qatar Business Incubation Center (QBIC), benefiting from mentorship, structured training, and strategic introductions to investors and partners.
Access to leading programs and conferences—such as Web Summit and regional startup forums—helped refine the team’s vision and connect Urban Point to global best practices in technology and entrepreneurship. These resources were instrumental in transforming a university concept into a scalable national platform.
Focus, Resilience, and Impact
Through regional challenges, the economic blockade, and the global pandemic, Urban Point chose focus over expansion. The team strengthened its collaboration with Ooredoo, supported local merchants through digital transitions, and built a robust data and technology backbone. This discipline positioned the company as Qatar’s #1 savings platform, grounded in operational excellence and long-term impact.
Driving Digital Transformation in the MENA Region
Today, Urban Point continues to redefine how telcos, small businesses, and consumers connect. Its model demonstrates how startup innovation, corporate scale, and government support can align to deliver lasting economic and social value—advancing Qatar National Vision 2030 and setting a regional benchmark for digital collaboration.
