By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Planning held the seventh meeting on Tuesday of the committee overseeing preparations for the Fourth Arab Summit for Entrepreneurship, which is due to be hosted in Iraq in November. According to the Ministry of Planning, the meeting was chaired by Deputy Minister of Planning for Technical Affairs Dr. Maher […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Planning has held a meeting with representatives of the World Bank to discuss cooperation on supporting entrepreneurship, empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and creating a more efficient and attractive business environment for investment. According to a statement from the Ministry, Sunday's meeting discussed a proposed programme aimed at […]
By John Lee. The Falling Walls Lab competition is to be held in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in July, giving students and early-career researchers the opportunity to pitch innovative ideas in a three-minute presentation format. The event is organised by Open Space Academy and will take place at Zakho Castle in Zakho, Duhok Governorate, […]
From Kapita Research. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Turning Influence into Industry: Iraqi Creators and the Business of Self-Branding In Iraq, influencers are not just advertisers -- they are brand founders. A collapse of institutional trust, a fragmented retail landscape, […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Planning has held the second meeting of the preparatory committee for the Fourth Arab Entrepreneurship Summit, scheduled to take place in Iraq in November. The meeting, chaired by the ministry's Undersecretary for Technical Affairs, Dr Maher Hammad Johan, addressed a range of organisational and logistical issues, including: Review of […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Trade has highlighted plans to support the development of youth-led initiatives into viable economic projects during the first Creative Economy Conference workshop. Trade Minister Atheer Dawood Al-Ghurairi said the ministry is working to adopt and support innovative initiatives that help transform entrepreneurial ideas into practical, market-ready businesses. The conference, […]
By John Lee. State-owned Rafidain Bank has launched the 59th round of its "Leadership and Excellence" initiative to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). According to the bank, the new round allocates a total of IQD 1 billion (approximately $763,000) to 93 beneficiaries. The programme forms part of the entrepreneurship financing initiative supported by the Central […]
By John Lee. The Council of Ministers has approved the holding of the Arab Entrepreneurship Summit 2026 in Baghdad in November 2026. The cabinet also agreed to form a preparatory committee, chaired by the Minister of Planning and comprising relevant entities, to oversee arrangements for the summit. (Source: PMO)
By John Lee. Baims, a MENA-based education technology group, has acquired MedMasters, an Iraq-based online medical education platform, marking its second strategic acquisition and its entry into the Iraqi market. The transaction expands Baims' regional footprint and strengthens its position in digital higher education across the Middle East. Founded by Dr. Abdulazeez Salam and Dr. […]
From Wired. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq's Startups Aren't Disrupting. They're Rebuilding From Mosul's agritech experiments to Baghdad's digital health records, founders are stitching together the basic systems Iraq's economy has long been missing -- one clinic and farm at […]
By John Lee. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has launched its SME finance and development programmes in Iraq, including the rollout of its flagship Star Venture initiative for high-potential startups. An official event in Baghdad marked the launch, outlining the Bank's strategic priorities and planned projects to strengthen the country's small and medium-sized […]
By John Lee. State-owned Rafidain Bank has announced the launch of the 50th tranche of its Riyada wa Tamayuz (Entrepreneurship and Excellence) initiative to support small and medium-sized enterprises. The tranche totals IQD 1 billion (approximately USD 0.77 million) and will benefit 82 recipients. According to a statement from the bank's media office, the funding is […]
