GIZ

AEIC Announces New Grant Funding

The AUIS Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (AEIC) is proud to announce new grant funding from the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) for 2023 to support activities under the Takween Accelerator housed at American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS).

This is the second grant awarded to Takween by GIZ following the successful completion of the Investor Bootcamp and Business Registration programs in 2022. With this new funding, Takween will run multiple programs to support startups in the Iraqi entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Pre-Accelerator Program

With the success of two previous Pre-Accelerator programs, Takween will run a third round with an eight-week program designed to assist startups in overcoming the gaps and challenges they face before becoming “Accelerator-Ready.” In addition to personalized training, tailored one-on-one mentoring from industry experts will be arranged to provide maximum value for each startup.

Digital Readiness Program

With the aim of improving digital collateral used by early-stage founders, Takween will deliver eight weeks of training and individual consultations to inspire and advocate startups to digitally transform their business, or a part of their business. Along with the training, participants will receive digital services to reach a more significant number of customers.

Series of Special Topics/Regional Exchange Webinars

This will consist of a series of online webinars on regional exchanges and special topics in entrepreneurship. These sessions will be in collaboration with local and international experts, with a focus on exchanging best practices among Iraq’s neighboring countries.

We are pleased to cooperate with a respected partner like GIZ, and their support not only strengthens the drive and growth of startups but also our position as a strategic supporter for startups in the Iraqi entrepreneurial ecosystem.

AEIC Receives GIZ Representatives to Discuss Areas of Cooperation

Representatives from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH met with the AUIS Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (AEIC) on July 5, 2021 to discuss potential areas for future collaboration between the two organizations.

AEIC Director Dr. Hemin Latif delivered a presentation introducing AUIS, its academics, student life, and University community before detailing the Center’s mission and goals as well as AUIS’s entrepreneurship and innovation activities going back a decade.

Eileen Brewer, Director of the Takween Accelerator housed at AUIS, provided an introduction to that program and highlights from activities since its founding in 2019, including a current pre-accelerator program and an upcoming seminar in digital readiness launching in August 2021.

The meeting’s participants discussed ways to further develop the AUIS-GIZ relationship, including collaboration on future projects that further mutual areas of interest in growing Iraq’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

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