From left, Hussein Freijeh, General Manager of Snap Inc, and Sheikh Jassim bin Mansour bin Jabor Al Thani, Director of the GCO and Chairman of the Permanent Web Summit Organising Commitee.Snap Inc. has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Qatar’s Government Communications Office (GCO) to launch an Augmented Reality (AR) Academy in the MENA region.
Announced at Web Summit Qatar 2025, the agreement marks a step in unlocking creative potential across the region and driving digital innovation. The partnership with GCO for the AR Academy aims to unlock new opportunities and empower the next generation of AR creators and developers.
Sheikh Jassim bin Mansour bin Jabor Al Thani, Director of the GCO and Chairman of the Permanent Web Summit Organising Commitee, said, “Our partnership with Snap to launch the region’s first Augmented Reality Academy marks a strategic milestone in empowering digital talent and driving technological innovation. This initiative aligns with Qatar’s National Vision 2030 in building a knowledge-based economy and nurturing the next generation of creators by equipping them with the essential tools and skills to navigate global digital transformations. Through our investment in such pioneering programs, we continue to strengthen Qatar’s position as a regional centre for digital excellence and technological innovation.”
From retail try-ons to generative AI, Snapchat has evolved AR into a tool for human connection and spatial computing. Today, more than 300 million people use AR on Snapchat and more than 85 per cent of daily users in the MENA region interact with Lenses every day. In Q4 2024 alone, more than 400 million Snapchatters engaged with Gen AI-powered Lenses more than four billion times.
Hussein Freijeh, General Manager of Snap Inc. in the Middle East, said, “We continue to bet on AR technology as we believe its potential is limitless. AR brings joy and utility to everyday life, enables brands to drive real business results, and empowers developers to push creative boundaries.”
Freijeh added, “The long-term success of the technology requires a vibrant developer and creator ecosystem, which is critical to the digital transformation taking place in the region. Once again we are honored to work hand in hand with GCO to drive the growth and digital upskilling of the thriving talent pool and we cannot wait to see the groundbreaking work they produce”.
Developers and creators are also central to the potential of this technology and Snap has stated that it remains committed to supporting this community through a variety of programmes, opportunities and tools to help them build experiences and grow their creative potential.
Currently, more than 375,000 AR creators, developers and teams from nearly every country in the world have built more than four million Lenses. Many of these are created using fifth generation Snap Spectacles, which have capabilities to better build and experiment with AR, allowing users to interact with the world and each other in entirely new ways.
The MOU punctuated an action-packed Web Summit, where Snap showcased the evolution of its AR technology and reinforced the positive role the tech plays in fostering authentic connections across the GCC.
Snap’s presence included live tech demonstrations, Snap Spectacles, expert-led discussions, and AR masterclasses, bringing the power of AR to life for attendees at Web Summit Qatar.
