Business Incubation Experience in Syria...o Iran ICTI:the first ICT incubator established in Damascus. A pilot project for a series of incubators throughout Syria. A first step towards

Business Incubation Experience in SyriaRima Shaban, Director

ICT Incubator

1 R‐Shaban 5th MENAInc workshop October 2007

Agenda

I. Profiles and Indicators of the present ICT Situation in Syria

I. E‐readiness

II. ICT Opportunities in Syria

II. The ICT strategy (some programs)

III. Difficulties Facing ICT SMEs in Syria

IV. SCS Syrian Computer Society in breif

V. The ICT Incubator


Connectivity and technology infrastructureBusiness environmentConsumer and business adoptionLegal environmentSocial and cultural environmentE‐services

E‐Readiness


Profiles and Indicators of the present ICT Situation in Syria

E‐Readiness

Profiles and Indicators of the present ICT Situation in Syria

The ICT OpportunitiesGrowing number of skilled ICT graduates.Growing needs for new ICT services.New niche markets waiting to be explored.Outsourcing, software exporting.

Enrolled Students at Syrian IT faculties in state universities


ICT Strategy in Syria (some programs)

A study prepared by MOICT and UNDP ‐ 2004


Programs include:• Playing a key role the widespread software production• empower SMEs to produce educational and entertainment

software.• Attract Arabic and international software investment companies• Producing Arabic versions of software for international software

companies.• Services for ICT companies by SMEs.• Software outsourcing and exporting.• Linking R&D with business.

Software incubators.

Difficulties Facing ICT SMEs in Syria

Lack proper organizational & administrative structure.Inability to build their own capacities (HR, IT skills and financial management).High transaction costs.High cost of information technology.Lack of financing organizations(VC, loans, leases…)


Difficulties Facing ICT SMEs in SyriaFinancing ICT SMEs

Financing Gap

Amount

Time

Early Stage

Development

First Expansion

Second Expansion

Problem areas: banks do not lend and money

required too small for VC

Mixed picture: limited seed financing but sometimes amounts compatible with existing sources

No major constraint: banks start lending and VC are willing to invest

THE FINANCING OF SME IN THE ICT/ICTE SECTORFindings from an infoDev Study

Banks reluctant to lend: the usual SME financing problems, but more severe..High risk profile: innovative

character and high perceived rate of failureInformational asymmetries:

banks scarcely understand what ICT firm are doingLack of tangible collateral

(and whatever is tangible becomes quickly obsolete or has no resale value)


Syrian Computer Society (SCS)founded in 1989 upon an initiative launched by the late Dr. Bassel Al‐Assad. With more than 4000 senior members and 6000 associate members. Mission: introducing the ICT culture in the Syrian society, and helping shape and regulate the ICT market in the country. Activities:


SCS has also participated in major international events, such as the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) and the Internet Governance Forum (IGF).

New projects and initiatives:Rural development On‐line education and trainingICT measurement…

Partners and stakeholders:The academia The industry The civil society Regional and international organizations

R‐Shaban 5th MENAInc workshop October 2007

9

Syrian Computer Society (SCS)

ICTI First ICT Incubator in Syria

A study proposed by ESCWA 2003Research on incubators in several countries in the region

o Tunisia o Jordan o Morocco o Iran

ICTI: the first ICT incubator established in Damascus.A pilot project for a series of incubators throughout Syria.A first step towards building science and technology parks.


Cooperation and Partnerships

Damascus University, Ministry Of ICT, Damascus Chamber Of commerce, private sector (consulting agencies), ESCWA.

UNDP

SEBC (Syrian Enterprises and Business center)

Research center (HIAST Higher Institute for Applied Sciences and Technologies)

Cooperation with Some funding agencies and NGOs (BIDAYA)


Incubation Program

Pre‐incubation• A short 4‐6 months practical

training• Limited but free services• Working on business plan• Preparing for incubator admission

Incubation: 18 months• Full equipped office space• Facilities• Consulting (technical, legal,

financial,…)• Access to funding resources• Business training


Some Activities

Innovative university project competition.

SGP/GEF(Promoting Uses of Information

and Communication Technologies in

projects that Deliver Environmental, Social

and Economic Benefits)

Sh@@m 2007

رة ــكـ فقد تغير العالم


SMEs incubated @ ICTI


Crows Animation 4 sham e‐real estate Voila web solutions

Accounting solutions Industrial Control Solutions

Consulting & Training

Students E‐society Creative Arts workshop Web 2.0 solutions

Action Plan

Regional workshop on entrepreneurship

National workshop on Incubator management training.

Starting virtual incubation program.

Incubators in Aleppo, Homs.


Future prospective

Building collaboration with local and international

organizations and NGOs sharing similar objectives

Building collaboration with universities (Private

universities and state universities).

Start entrepreneurship program through SCS activities

among the ICT community.


Thank youRima Shaban

Director@ti‐scs.org


Business Incubation Experience in Syria...o Iran ICTI:the first ICT incubator established in Damascus. A pilot project for a series of incubators throughout Syria. A first step towards

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