The Iraq Hackathon brought together tech entrepreneurs across Iraq in an online event that took place from the 6th to the 8th of November. After 450 applications, 65 business ideas were chosen and evaluated for their validity in the Iraqi market. After a weekend of mentorship and building a prototype and pitch deck, 10 teams […]Read More
The concept of the hackathon began around twenty years ago by a group of young programmers. A hackathon is defined as an event that brings together a group of people with shared interests and skills to exchange experiences or solve a problem. Hackathons are occasions for individuals and enterprises to stimulate innovation through collaboration. It also […]Read More
Wastepreneur is a capacity development, market activation and entrepreneurship programme for SME development in the waste management sector for Mosul and Basra, organised by cewas. Cewas Middle East and Black Forest Solutions GmbH have teamed up with the support of GIZ’s Private Sector Development and Employment Promotion Project to provide a specialised, 10-month incubation programme […]Read More
Entrepreneurship programs aim to create a collaborative community for entrepreneurs to learn from successful businessmen and women, and experienced trainers. These programs shed light on the challenges facing startups and help guide entrepreneurs through developing their businesses with mentorship, trainings, and financing. There are growing efforts and programs to support Iraqi entrepreneurs and those interested […]Read More
“An idea gave birth to a project that gained popularity among Iraqi youth in the last two years”. This is how social entrepreneur, Jaafar Muhammad, summarises the story of Startup University. The initiative aims to develop Iraqi university students’ skills by organising workshops that introduce them to the basics of entrepreneurship and prepares them for […]Read More
In recent years, Iraq has witnessed a rise in training programs that encourage Iraqi youth to start their own businesses. The goal of these programs is to strengthen the role of vocational training and advance the country’s socioeconomic status. In aid of this goal, KAPITA, in partnership with the Dutch embassy in Baghdad and Asiacell […]Read More
With every new day, we are inching towards a stronger competitive startup ecosystem in Iraq. The success of the Ruwwad Al Iraq 2018-2019 season demonstrated that the best is yet to come. Over nine months, the Ruwwad Al Iraq platform attracted more than 3000 business ideas from across the country. The level of participation and […]Read More
As part of the Iraq Technology and Entrepreneurship Alliance, I had the opportunity to lead the country’s (and possibly the Middle East’s) largest hackathon: the Iraq Innovation Hackathon. Five cities. 48 hours. 300+ attendees. Tackling local and nationwide challenges with on-the-ground solutions. For most participants, it was their first ever hackathon and a huge learning curve […]Read More
Over 300 tech enthusiasts attended the opening ceremony of Google Developer Group (GDG) Najaf held on 28th December 2018. Like all other GDGs, GDG Najaf is a volunteer-led initiative that is run by passionate individuals who are interested in Google technologies. GDGs usually organise events such as hackathons and tech talks. The goal is to create a […]Read More