By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa Al-Sudani chaired a meeting on Sunday to follow up on the implementation of the government's "Riyada" initiative and the disbursement of youth loans for qualified applicants. Al-Sudani highlighted the initiative's positive reception among young people, describing it as a foundation for a new labour market reality, encouraging private […]
By John Lee. Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) Governor Ali Mohsen Al-Alaq has met Bilal Al-Saghir, the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) Resident Representative in Iraq, to discuss strengthening bilateral relations, particularly in training Iraq's banking sector workforce. The parties intend to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the matter in the coming period. They also […]
By John Lee. The Iraqi Ministry of Planning held a workshop on August 7, 2025, to review and discuss the final draft of the National Policy for the Development of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). This policy is set to be adopted as a key national document supporting this vital sector, with ongoing technical […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Ministry of Trade has held discussions with a delegation from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Technology Centre for Entrepreneurship to explore joint mechanisms for empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Iraq. According to the Ministry's media office, Director General of the Private Sector Development […]
By John Lee. EQIQ, a UAE-based venture capital fund, has unveiled its $1.5 million pre-seed investment in Boxy, which it says is Iraq's first AI-powered logistics aggregator. Boxy aims to unify over 1,500 last-mile couriers into a single intelligent platform, addressing the fragmented logistics landscape in Iraq. EQIQ says Boxy has demonstrated early product-market fit, […]
By John Lee. Netaj, an Iraqi platform for innovation and entrepreneurial support, has announced a series of strategic partnerships, "aimed at enabling thousands of Iraqi youth to enter the e-commerce space with the tools and support they need to succeed." Among the most notable collaborations is one with Haeiz, which it describes as a leading […]
By John Lee. On 12 July 2025, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) welcomed 524 young participants from Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon to the Japan-funded "RISE LAB: Igniting Youth Potential through Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Economic Resilience" training programme. Designed as a multi-phase approach, this programme aims to empower motivated entrepreneurs and leaders, both men and […]
By John Lee. Netaj -- a Baghdad-based innovation firm that offers venture support, strategic consulting, and capability-building for entrepreneurs and institutions -- has announced the official launch of Nawat, which it describes as the country's first-ever Venture Capital (VC) Studio. According to a press release, Nawat is designed to identify, support, and invest in high-potential […]
By John Lee. Wayl, the payments platform for online sellers in Iraq, has secured USD 150,000 in pre-seed financing from EQIQ Ventures, a venture-capital fund led by Mohamed Al-Hakim. Wayl plans to use the capital to expand its digital-payments solution for social-media merchants and freelance workers, addressing a market where an estimated 97 percent of […]
By John Lee. (more…)
From the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Fresh solutions: youth tackle tomato waste in Iraq When Zaid, a veterinarian and university lecturer, decided to enter a hackathon to dream up innovations in agriculture, he turned to […]
From the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: A Journey of Resilience and Growth In the heart of Iraq, where economic recovery and social reintegration are vital for stability, three remarkable women -- Mai, […]
