Get All Access for $5/mo

Qatar's ALF Foundation Launches Entrepreneurship Center At Driehaus College of Business in Chicago A new center to foster entrepreneurship through exchange programs has been established at DePaul University's Driehaus College of Business in Chicago by the Qatar-based Al Faisal Without Borders Foundation.

By Aby Sam Thomas

You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

ALF Foundation
H.E. Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, ALF Chairman speaks at the launch of the Sheikh Faisal Center for Entrepreneurship in the Middle East at DePaul University Chicago.

A new center to foster entrepreneurship through exchange programs has been established at DePaul University's Driehaus College of Business in Chicago by the Qatar-based Al Faisal Without Borders Foundation (ALF).

The newly formed center, which will be called the Sheikh Faisal Centre for Entrepreneurship in the Middle East, will allow DePaul University students to study abroad in Qatar, while also giving Qatari students the chance to go to Chicago each summer and work with the business college's faculty and alumni.

From left to right: At the launch of The Sheikh Faisal Center for Entrepreneurship in the Middle East at DePaul University in Chicago: Abdullatif Al-Yafei, General Manager, ALF; HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman, ALF; Patricia Donoghue, Interim President, DePaul University Chicago; Tarek El Sayed, Group Chief Financial Officer, Al Faisal Holding and Managing Director of Aamal QSC; and Ali Mare, Executive Director, ALF. Image credit: ALF Foundation.

In addition, the center also plans to host an annual business conference in Chicago as well as a competition in Qatar for emerging entrepreneurs in the nation. The Sheikh Faisal Centre will also facilitate a Young Entrepreneur Academy to develop new generations of Qatari and American entrepreneurs.

Commenting on the new initiative, H.E. Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al-Thani, Chairman, ALF, said, "Al Faisal Without Borders Foundation is a strong supporter of Qatar's vision and this agreement will help to accelerate knowledge transfer, which is very important for success in business."

"With a booming economy and excellent educational system, we are sure that this center will foster the entrepreneurial spirit and help to fuel Qatar's thriving economy," he added.

Aby Sam Thomas

Entrepreneur Staff

Former Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur Middle East

Aby Sam Thomas is the former Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur Middle East. Having started working on the brand in November 2014, Aby was responsible for leading the publication on its editorial front until September 2024.

In his nearly-decade-long tenure at Entrepreneur Middle East, Aby played a key role in its growth and development across the MENA region, with him developing and executing events, programs, and other initiatives under the brand's banner, while also personally representing it through his appearances in conferences, media, etc.

Aby has been working in journalism since 2011, prior to which he was an analyst programmer with Accenture, where he worked with J. P. Morgan Chase's investment banking arm at offices in Mumbai, London, and New York. He holds a Master's Degree in Journalism from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York.  

Starting a Business

He Started a Business That Surpassed $100 Million in Under 3 Years: 'Consistent Revenue Right Out of the Gate'

Ryan Close, founder and CEO of Bartesian, had run a few small businesses on the side — but none of them excited him as much as the idea for a home cocktail machine.

Business News

Looking for a Remote Job? Here Are the Most In-Demand Skills to Have on Your Resume, According to Employers.

Employers are looking for interpersonal skills like teamwork as well as specific coding skills.

Growth Strategies

"We Got Funded!" UAE-Headquartered Epik Foods' US$15.5 Million Investment from Ruya Fund is Set to Propel its Regional Expansion Goals

The group's investment news thus comes just days away from its first anniversary as a fully operational business.

Thought Leaders

Need More Confidence? These 10 Bestselling Books Will Help Improve Your Self-Esteem

Self-esteem can be hard to come by and even harder to maintain. To give yourself a boost, try these authors' words of wisdom.

Entrepreneurs

Catalyzing Change: How UAE-Based Holo, The Middle East's First Digital Mortgage Platform, Is Transforming The Process Of Buying A Home

With free access to over 500 mortgage products from all the banks in the UAE today, the Holo platform directly addresses pressing issues that the home buying process is ridden with till date