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11•October 20, 2023

Business LANDSCAPE Magazine Issue 11

#Iraq#Iraq Market Research#Market Research Iraq#Business LANDSCAPE#Entrepreneurship Iraq#Startup Ecosystem Iraq#Angel Investing Iraq#Riyada Initiative#Orange Corners بغداد
October 20, 202314 Articles

Issue Overview

The 11th issue of Business LANDSCAPE Magazine, the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Edition, explores the evolution of Iraq’s entrepreneurial landscape and how it has emerged in unconventional and resource-constrained conditions. This issue examines the shift from a state-driven, oil-dependent economy toward a private-sector-led model powered by startups, youth, and innovation. The edition provides an in-depth look at the building blocks of Iraq’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, including incubators, accelerators, government initiatives such as the Riyada Initiative, and the role of ecosystem enablers in improving access to finance, skills development, and market readiness. It also presents research-driven insights into the Iraqi startup market, highlighting untapped opportunities alongside structural and regulatory challenges. Featuring extensive interviews with founders, investors, and business leaders across multiple sectors, as well as ecosystem case studies from Baghdad and Basra, this issue offers a comprehensive perspective on entrepreneurship in Iraq. It further explores critical themes such as team building, marketing strategies, mergers and acquisitions, and professional well-being, positioning entrepreneurship as a key driver of economic diversification and long-term resilience.

Articles in this Issue

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The Entrepreneurial Mutation: Navigating the Evolution of Iraq's Business Landscape

Editorial Piece Amidst change and challenges, Iraq is in the midst of an entrepreneurial transformation, shifting from oil dependency and public sector jobs to a dynamic private sector, essential for both economic and societal change.

ArticleMohammed Jamal4 min
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Cultivating Entrepreneurship in Unconventional Grounds: Lessons from Iraq's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Most research on entrepreneurial ecosystems (hereafter, EEs) and how they develop has studied EEs in countries with a highly developed private sector and favorable conditions for entrepreneurship. Such countries usually have regulations that support businesses and fair competition, a robust and digitally-enabled banking system, and a business-oriented culture and knowledge base often powered by several locally active firms. Thus, for EEs to develop in such contexts, localities must simply attract and coordinate readily available business-savvy aspiring entrepreneurs. In contrast, Iraq's EE emerged with no such well-developed market-based foundations, culture, or private sector in place. Thus, it could not just call to action prospective entrepreneurs to locally promote and sustain entrepreneurship; it had to do much more: it rose and expanded and, in doing so, also set the ground for the development of the country's private sector. For this reason, I became interested as a researcher in investigating the remarkable efforts of Iraq’s EE.

ArticleAnne-Sophie Sabbatucci8 min
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Fueling the Iraqi Entrepreneurial Scene: Insights from KAPITA’s Programs

The Iraqi entrepreneurial scene has been constantly evolving in the last decade. The spark that started this ecosystem has been ignited by multiple digital hackathons, boot camps, short-term training, volunteering initiatives, and many others, mostly led by youth and supporting organizations. This has collectively generated more awareness of entrepreneurship and has encouraged more startups to develop their business ideas and strengthen the foundation of their businesses by applying to pre-incubation and preparatory programs, which nourished their ideas, validated them, and shaped the entrepreneurial mindset.

ArticleMohammed Hameed, Safwa Salim, Essam Munir.11 min
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Unveiling Basra's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: A Thriving Haven of Innovation and Collaboration

Nestled in the south of Iraq, Basra stands as a city with immense historical significance and a promising future. While Baghdad has often taken the spotlight in recent years, Basra has quietly fostered a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem driven by a new generation of ambitious and resilient individuals. While the scene in Baghdad is witnessing many initiatives led by KAPITA, the Station, Computiq, and other hubs, Basra is poised to unlock its full potential, attracting the attention of local and international stakeholders eager to contribute to its economic growth and empower the Iraqi youth.

ArticleTafa3ul Hub’s Team9 min
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Riyada Initiative: Promoting Entrepreneurship for Social Progress

A good indicator of social progress and growth in development policies, plans, programs, and communities is how much role entrepreneurship plays in the economic scene of a country. Years of political instability and conflicts have created a discouraging environment for the most important economic drive, small and medium-sized businesses, to grow, leaving the economy hostage to unstable oil revenues and undermining the role of the private sector.

ArticleZaid Habeeb9 min
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Doing Less, Excelling More: A Guide to Personal and Global Well-Being

Why Do Not We Acknowledge it? How many times did we feel frustrated because someone invites us to a professional event but never follows up, or someone pitches us an idea but starts by stating that they are too busy, or someone visits us to make a deal but never responds to our messages, or someone sends a request in the last minute and states that the deadline is tomorrow?

ArticleDr. Hemin Latif10 min
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Iraqi Startup Market: Unraveling the Untapped Opportunities-Report Summary

Many of the big businesses we know today were only ideas. Ideas that tackle real needs can become successful businesses if they are well invested in. Up-to-date Information and market knowledge can definitely be advantageous, especially in this rapidly progressing era when data is highly valuable and being informed can significantly increase a business’s success rate. As a result, gaining some understanding of the Iraqi entrepreneurial roadmap from different angles can definitely inspire new business ideas and contribute to the development of emerging startups. This report presents a roadmap that explores the Iraqi startup markets through the Iraqi demographics and GDP, ecosystem players, investment opportunities, private sector challenges, and market knowledge. The Iraqi market has witnessed a growth in opportunities, encouraging many ecosystem enablers to take part in the development of the private sector. This economic movement attracted local and foreign investment that facilitated access to finance for startups. Many startups have been initiated and grown with the help of ecosystem enablers and investment despite the challenges in the private sector environment.

ArticleKAPITA’s Research Team13 min
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Mapping the Iraqi Entrepreneurial Ecosystem - Research Summary

As Iraq has been transitioning from a socialist economy, based on a welfare state model, into a more capitalist economy. The entrepreneurship scene has been developing over the last decade in a very evident way. Many support organizations, training centers, institutions, coworking spaces, etc., have emerged and led to the proliferation of the scene, where many startups have been founded, transforming the Iraqi economy by attracting investors and creating job opportunities. This has also encouraged the development of financial technologies, policies, and infrastructure to keep up with this transformation.

ArticleKAPITA’s Research Team4 min
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Planting the Ecosystem Seed: Nurturing the Soil for the ResourceDeprived Entrepreneurs

In places recovering from conflict, entrepreneurial ecosystems become vital engines for growth and stability. Imagine a startup in Baghdad navigating the challenges of a shifting economic landscape. Like many others, this startup seeks a solid foundation, resilience, and access to vital resources. It is looking for opportunities to network, share knowledge, and connect globally. More than just business growth, it is searching for an ecosystem that promotes community healing, rebuilding, and a brighter, stable future.

ArticleMustafa Dawood4 min
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Breaking Barriers to Financial Access: Resources and Beyond

Discusses Iraq’s financial challenges, especially limited access for MSMEs. Introduces CARP (COVID-19 Adaptation and Recovery Pilot), supported by the World Bank and GIZ, to strengthen microfinance, support MSMEs, and promote financial inclusion. CARP provides liquidity, technical assistance, grants, and digital solutions to help businesses survive and grow post-COVID.

ArticleMustafa Rifaat (CARP Project Coordinator)8 min
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Why No One Size Fits All: Navigating the Diverse Pathways to Success in the Iraqi Entrepreneurial Scene Through Tajarib's Lens

Tajarib is a podcast that interviews the remarkable entrepreneurs, executives, and changemakers of Iraq’s private sector. Available in both audio and video formats, the 50 to 90-minute episodes delve into a broad spectrum of topics, engaging a diverse audience - from the youth making their debut in the private sector to seasoned founders, business owners, corporate executives, and investors.

ArticleJameel Amir, Omar Azeez, Mohammed Sadeq.12 min
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Business LANDSCAPE Interview: Tareq Hussain (Founder & CEO, Al-Rafeel)

Tareq Hussain founded Al-Rafeel, a company producing and packaging fresh leafy vegetables. He explains the company’s business model (direct sourcing, advanced cleaning/packaging, multiple sales channels). Emphasizes social responsibility: hiring women, widows, and rehabilitating juveniles. Addresses challenges like energy shortages, lack of technology, and climate change. Future plans include dairy and fish production, plus exports.

ArticleTareq Hussain8 min
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Ali Al-Hilli Interview

Ali Al-Hilli is the marketing and communications director at Miswag, the largest and oldest homegrown startup in Iraq. With more than 14 years of experience in business development, telecommunications, and FinTech, Mr. Al-Hilli has made a significant contribution to the development of the Iraqi ecosystem by fostering entrepreneurship and innovation.

ArticleAli Al-Hilli19 min
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Mohamed Al-Hakim Interview

Mohamed Al-Hakim is the founder of EQIQ, a venture capital fund focused on boosting the Iraqi tech startup ecosystem, and the founder of Fedshi, a social commerce platform aiming to revolutionize the shopping experience in Iraq. Mr. Al-Hakim has almost 20 years of experience in management, banking, and investment. He founded and managed many firms, including RiverStream and Zain Bank. He took over the role of the country manager of both Careem Iraq and Jordan.

ArticleMohamed Al-Hakim19 min

Issue Information

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Details

  • Issue:11
  • Published:October 20, 2023
  • Articles:14 Articles
  • Tags:9
  • Attachments:1 PDF

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