By John Lee. A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (KOBIA) of Azerbaijan and the Federation of Iraqi Industries, fostering collaboration in the provision of services to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The agreement was formalized during the 3rd session of the Joint Commission for Economic, Scientific, […]
By Aziz Al Nassiri. This document explains the Iraqi University Ecosystem (IUE) project Introduction: The business environment in Iraq is one of the most challenging in the region. Instability, lawlessness, corruption, absence of development plans, flight of capital, brain drain, diminution of the middle class, rentier economy, rapid population growth, global warming, Fourth Industrial Revolution. […]
The ILO, the Central Bank of Iraq and partners celebrate success of the financial Inclusion Initiative for MSMEs under the PROSPECTS Programme [EN/AR] Hundreds of loans have been disbursed to aspiring entrepreneurs and existing MSMEs through the project, contributing to the creation and retention of more than 1,200 job opportunities for Iraqi host communities and […]
New Leadership at Five One Labs Charts Exciting Path Forward in Iraq Five One Labs, a global startup incubator supporting frontier-market entrepreneurs, has recently announced the appointment of new Managing Directors for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Savo Bakhtiar Rasoul, the new Managing Director for Ecosystem, and Shwan Ali Qaradaghi, the new Managing […]
The Iraqi Riyada Network for Access, Development, and Advancement (IRADA Network) was launched recently in Baghdad. It is the creation of a consortium of prominent institutions specializing in business development and entrepreneurship, including the RWANGA Foundation in Iraqi Kurdistan, Qaf Lab in Mosul, and Tafa3ul Hub from Basra. Institutions From Baghdad include Computiq, The Station, […]
By John Lee. The Iraqi, vertically integrated, e-commerce store Orisdi has successfully concluded a six-figure bridge round of investment. The company said in a press release that the funding was arranged in August, and included both new investors and existing shareholders, such as Al Sharqiya TV Group, Amar Shubar, Ahmed Sultani, Naveed Pasha, Hassan Al […]
By John Lee. Five Iraqi start-ups are reported to be among the 24 new businesses selected to take part in Flat6Labs' StartMashreq Growth Track programme. The programme, which started in June and will run until December 2024, is part of StartMashreq's broader vision to inspire and support displaced entrepreneurs and empower female-led startups in the […]
Bassem Rahmi, CEO of Egypt's Micro- Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA) has emphasized the agency's commitment to implementing the political leadership's directives aimed at enhancing cooperation with relevant entities in the development and advancement of the small business sector in Arab countries. The agency seeks to exchange expertise regarding mechanisms that drive the […]
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has launched an online portal to streamline and expedite the registration process for businesses. This initiative aims to reduce costs and simplify procedures, making it easier for entrepreneurs to establish their companies in the region. With the new online system (business.digital.gov.krd), business owners can conveniently submit their applications from anywhere […]
Youth policy dialogue to improve Iraq's business ecosystem Youth entrepreneurs working in agriculture, business support organizations including start-up incubators, international organizations and government representatives convened in Baghdad to encourage informed policymaking for a stronger entrepreneurship ecosystem in Iraq. The Youth Policy Dialogue discussed the findings of the Youth Barometer Report published by the International Trade […]
Hackasuly, the Sulaymaniya-based hackathon, is returning. From 22nd to 24th June, the event will be part of the city's Bit Festival. It aims to bring the coding community together over a weekend to work in teams and turn their ideas into technological solutions. Prizes will be awarded in three categories: Software Engineering AI and Data […]
By John Lee. Erbil-based start-up Midient has reportedly received a "pre-seed round" investment of $115,000 from regional accelerator Flat6Labs for its loyalty program product Kurdivia. According to Iraqi Innovators, the company was co-founded by Ahmed Jamal, Mohammed Shahoyi, and Omer Sabah. It was also picked for a $10,000 pilot investment by Canadian venture fund Loyal […]
