“He who finds a new path is a pathfinder…”

Ibn Khaldun · Founding Father of the Social Sciences & Author of the Muqaddimah

Damascus University

Where Damascus University Students build their own companies.

A Startup Competition for Damascus University Students to help new ideas, university class projects and concepts turn into potential real jobs after graduation. Creating innovation for real change while helping to solve Syria's Challenges.

Apply for Competition Applications open 16 November

A joint program with

Syrian Emergency Task Force Wadi Jeddah, powered by KAU

The program

Four Months. Five Training Periods. $1,000 in funding. Online Mentoring from Experts.

Every team follows the same route. What you build along it is yours.

  1. February to March 2027

    Iktashif: Discover اكتشف

    This part of the program will begin with a full weekend training bootcamp delivered by international experts at Damascus University at the beginning of February. A second training program will be delivered during Ramadan with Iftar provided on three consecutive evenings.

    External and international mentors will be provided to each project to support them online. Students will work with the newly created Damascus University Innovation Office to decide on how best to use the initial $1,000 in funding that the Pathfinder program is providing to advance these projects.

  2. March to May 2027

    Intaliq: Move Forward انطلق

    Three further training sessions will be delivered after Eid, again each one on three consecutive evenings, making a total of nine training evenings across this time period.

    External and international mentors will continue to support the projects during these months.

  3. Late May or early June 2027

    Pathfinder Showcase

    This public Pathfinder Showcase event will present the progress each project has made during Pathfinder. This could include the evidence of the problem gathered, solutions developed or tested, and their proposed next steps.

    The Pathfinder Showcase will also give the students chosen for this program an opportunity to engage with university leadership, industry representatives, potential partners, mentors and other stakeholders. Ideas that have advanced significantly may be chosen for additional funding beyond the original $1,000.

Who it's for

Every Kind of Damascus University Student.

EngineeringInformaticsMedicinePharmacySciencesAgricultureArchitectureEconomicsLawMediaFine ArtsArts & Humanities
  • If applying as a team, the team lead must be a Damascus University student at the time of application.
  • An idea for a new product or service, a way to solve a problem that exists in Syria today that could be a business in the future, a class project that could help you create your own job.

What you get

A place to work

Desks, lab time and workshop access for the length of the program.

Mentors

You will have access to international mentors, experts from the wider region, and Syrian mentors both from within the country and based overseas.

Financial support

Funding for materials and prototyping, so money isn't what stops the first version.

A network

Be part of a growing network of people who want to bring about real change.

Start something.

Applications for the first cohort open on 16 November. Start talking to your team now.

Apply for Competition