Syrian incubator Afkar+ launches

Syria’s first incubator, Afkar+, officially launched this month in Hama after winning first place in Jusoor’s Entrepreneurship competition. Undaunted by 4 years of a savage war that has left the country in ruins, Afkar [which means ‘ideas’ in Arabic] is now accepting applications from Syrian would-be entrepreneurs.

“We want to give Syrian youth who have applicable business ideas the chance to nurture these ideas and grow them,” said cofounder Samer Al-Aswad. “We plan to offer a 6-12 month incubation program.”

The initiative

Although Hama, about 210 kilometers north of Damascus, is safer than other parts of the country, it’s easy to wonder why anybody would want to launch a business in Syria.

“People always ask us why we chose to start a venture in Syria,” Al-Aswad said. “But investing in businesses is crucial now in Syria. We see young people who are leaving the country to immigrate, who feel like they don’t know what to do because they have no jobs. Investing in small ventures moves the economy in Syria and creates job opportunities. SMEs are important to have mobility in the country.”

It has been just two weeks since its launch and Afkar+ [which means ‘ideas’ in Arabic] has received nine applications in sectors including IT, nutrition, alternative energy, media and more. One of the applicants is a woman.

Original article by Maysa Ajjan

Original article by Wamda:

Syrian incubator Afkar+ launches