Lebanese startups shine at Web Summit Qatar 2026

The third annual Web Summit Qatar concluded in Doha with record participation and a clear message: regional tech leadership is accelerating. Yet among the thousands of founders, innovators and global speakers, it was Lebanese entrepreneurs who delivered some of the Summit’s most notable achievements, particularly through the high-profile PSG Lab Competition, hosted by Paris Saint-Germain’s innovation arm.

In a landmark moment for Lebanon’s tech ecosystem, two Lebanese-led startups, PLAYBACK Sports and Impersonas, advanced to the competition’s top ranks, with one taking home the grand prize.

Lebanese Breakthroughs at the PSG Lab Competition

PLAYBACK Sports Wins the PSG Lab Competition

PLAYBACK Sports, founded by Karim Fawaz, emerged as the winner of the PSG Lab pitch competition, outperforming a strong global field of sports-tech contenders. A rapidly scaling company, PLAYBACK delivers an AI-powered athlete development platform that transforms video into real-time coaching insights, an increasingly vital tool for clubs, academies, analysts and trainers seeking scalable performance tools.

Speaking to The Beiruter, Fawaz explained that PLAYBACK stood out in the PSG Lab Pitch Competition because it isn’t pitching “hypothetical technology;” the platform is already live in multiple countries, powering thousands of youth players each week through real partnerships and a scalable B2B2C model.

Winning first place and earning the Golden Ticket to PSG’s Selection Day, he said, validates PLAYBACK’s mission to make elite sports technology accessible to youth players everywhere. Fawaz added that the team will head to Paris next to explore deeper integration with PSG while continuing to expand internationally and build on the momentum generated in Doha.

The victory marks one of the highest-profile achievements by a Lebanese startup at any global tech conference in recent years, further validating Lebanon’s emerging strength in applied AI and sports technology.

Impersonas Reaches the Finals

Also representing Lebanon was Impersonas, founded by Nour Hassoun, which secured a coveted finalist spot in the PSG Lab Competition.

Impersonas specializes in AI-driven digital persona generation, an increasingly strategic domain at the intersection of sports, media, fandom, and personalized digital experiences. The startup’s advancement to the finals underscores the market’s appetite for immersive fan engagement technologies.

What set Impersonas apart was its creative use of AI to generate dynamic digital identities, offering powerful applications for sports clubs and entertainment brands seeking deeper, more personalized fan experiences. The startup’s approach showcased a clear vision for next-generation fan engagement ecosystem, ones where immersive, adaptive digital personas can strengthen global reach and redefine how audiences interact with teams and talent.
In remarks to The Beiruter, Hassoun noted that Impersonas’ strong performance earned the startup an invitation to continue conversations with PSG on how its technology could be integrated, and potentially implemented, in the future. He added that PSG described Impersonas as highly promising, with significant potential to help sports teams expand their reach and strengthen their global brand presence.

Having two Lebanese startups advance this far made Lebanon one of the few countries to place multiple founders on the PSG stage.

A Strong Lebanese Presence at Web Summit Qatar

Beyond the competition, Lebanese participation was visible across panels and sessions. Speakers included: Abir El Saghir (an award-winning content creator and chef), Paul Morcos (Minister of Information), and Naji Boulos (Managing Editor at ArabAd, an advertising and communications magazine).

Their presence highlighted Lebanon’s ongoing ambition to remain active in tech, media, and digital innovation. In a statement to Qatar News Agency on the sidelines of his participation, Morcos noted that Lebanon’s participation aimed to build media and investment partnerships with both government and private-sector actors. He therefore used the summit as an opportunity to invite potential partners to Lebanon, which he described as a post-crisis market moving toward stability and offering promising investment prospects.

Why These Wins Matter for Lebanon

The success of PLAYBACK Sports and Impersonas at the PSG Lab Competition represents an important moment of global validation for Lebanese innovation. In a region where competition is intense and investors are increasingly selective, seeing Lebanese startups perform so highly sends a strong message: Lebanese founders can stand confidently among the world’s leading sports-tech and AI innovators.

These achievements also serve as a powerful source of inspiration for Lebanon’s broader startup ecosystem. In a period defined by economic instability, capital shortages and talent outflow, success stories like these provide tangible proof that breakthrough innovation is still very much alive within the Lebanese entrepreneurial community. They energize founders, encourage early-stage teams, and offer hope to young entrepreneurs considering whether to build locally or regionally.

Finally, these wins help deepen Lebanon’s integration within the region’s fast-growing tech landscape. As Qatar and the Gulf expand their venture programs and innovation ecosystems, Lebanese startups are well-positioned to plug into these networks, leveraging access to capital, partnerships and corporate innovation programs. At the same time, the focus areas of these two startups, sports analytics and AI-driven digital personas, highlight sectors where Lebanon can carve out early leadership and contribute meaningfully to emerging global markets.