Scaleup Academy kick-started this year’s new cohort in late January with 10 new startups ready to take on a new journey to further better Iraq’s economic ecosystem and cut down on the heavy oil reliability in order to ensure a more sustainable future.
Supported by GIZ, and our strategic partner Asiacell, this cohort witnessed significant changes within the course of the program. There is a constant worry about whether Iraq will reach a dead-end in terms of scouting new and valuable startups. But each cohort we are surprised by the quality and quantity of the applicants and we are delighted to see mature startups ready to face the market.
This cohort follows a similar program curriculum to the previous cohorts including:
1. Business Model Canvas sessions, by Mohammad Jamal
2. Market Research session, by Mohammad Jamal
5. Sales by Mahdi Ghurayeb
6. Lean Startups and Workforce, by Marwan Ahmed
7. Legalization by Serge Airut
8. Finance by Motasem Al-Saber
9. Investment by Ali Al Suhail - Managing Director, Investment at KAPITA
This cohorts startups are:
Donut mood: Physical store for fresh donuts.
Seven Professions: An application that provides services, such as maintenance services, plumbing, air conditioning, construction services, etc.
SAFR: A travel agency that allows the traveler to choose the trip details, such as an appropriate tour guide, and hotel room with a lower price. Also, they manage businesses trips for companies and organizations
Harir Fashion company: Online fashion store. Producing local women's clothing of high quality and competitive price for the imported product.
Takween: Online store for handmade gifts. It is specialized in the manufacturing of traditional Iraqi artworks, which helps revive Iraqi heritage and culture, with high quality and reasonable prices.
Al-Murtaqab: An information technology company that provides credit card issuance services. They also provide development and training workshops and provide gift card services or gift vouchers
Al Rashid For information Technology: A company specialized in the field of information technology, technical solutions, projects of light current systems, and modern technologies.
Pasta Station: An online store that provides more than 26 types of Italian pasta and salads. This project started in 2020 to provide new and unfamiliar dishes to the Iraqi community
Evolve: An architecture and decoration company. They provide high-quality services, which include: Interior and exterior design services, Execution of construction and interior and exterior decoration works, An integrated plant for the manufacture of all woodworks (kitchens, bedrooms, etc)
STEMile: A specialized center for interactive education and the development of children and young adolescents. The center aims to train children and develop their talents in installing and programming robots, expanding awareness and strengthening intelligence
About ScaleUp Academy:
ScaleUp’ Academy Training Program, aims to graduate investment-ready scaleups. Therefore, we admit founders and key team members in an intensive 9 weeks program where they’ll receive general business and tailor-made sessions to escalate the growth of their businesses in no time. Also the entrepreneurs will work closely with business development experts to develop their business growth strategy and to recognize market opportunities.
After completion of the Academy, each startup will receive “post-graduation services (Marketing Services)”. These services will run for eight weeks and are needed to scale the marketing capacity of the startups in the fields of Branding, Marketing Strategy, Digital Marketing and/or Advertising.
This program is supported by GIZ and Asiacell.
About Kapita:
Kapita is a private sector development company that aims to empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through investment, research, incubation/acceleration, and market development programs.