As the year 2022 comes to a close, we at SIMAD iLab are proud to reflect on another year of tremendous growth and progress. Our community of innovators and entrepreneurs has grown stronger and more impactful, thanks to a number of major highlights that have marked the year.

One of the most exciting developments of the year was the launch of a major upgrade to SIMAD iLab by H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the President of Somalia. Version 2 of our facility introduced a range of new and exciting features, including a modern coworking space inspired by Starbucks, restaurant-look-alike seminar rooms, napping spaces, and the largest and most equipped FabLab in Somalia. These new amenities have helped to create an overall innovation environment that is unmatched in the nation, and which has been embraced by our community. 

Another major achievement of the year was our collaboration with the International Trade Center (ITC), with funding support from the Government of Japan, which led to the conclusion of the Digital Skills forJobs program. This program produced 149 freelancers, who in the first six months after completion of the program generated more than $104,000 in income by working with both local and international clients. This is a testament to the power of our community and the impact that we are able to make.

We also continued to implement The Next Economy program in collaboration with Crosswise Works, which has been instrumental in nurturing more than 150 youth with a world-class employment and entrepreneurship program. The program has produced more than 10 startups, created more than 130 decent jobs, and our startups have raised more than $50,000 from crowdfunding. We are proud to be a champion of crowdfunding in Somalia, and to be making such a positive impact on the lives of our members.

In addition to these achievements, we also concluded Startup Mogadishu, a tech startup program that produces scalable tech-based companies, in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Somalia.

We also continue to lead the way for gender innovation programs, connecting our female members with female champions in the society, taking them on tours to see what is possible in Somalia for women when odds are against them, and creating a supportive environment for them. Our 50/50 policy at our Women Enterprises Development department is reflective of our commitment to leveling the playing field for our female members.

As we look ahead to 2023, we are excited to announce that we have been selected to implement EU-funded UNIDO’s SomaliIncubators program. This will further strengthen our SMEs program to reach more small businesses and help our community to continue to grow and thrive. We will also unveil another major upgrade of SIMAD iLab, which will include a dedicated space for SMEs and startups, an innovation theatre, digital studio, and a digital studio that will produce digital storytellers and citizen journalists.

Overall, we are incredibly proud of the progress that we have made as a community in 2022, and we look forward to continuing to make a positive impact on the lives of our members in the years to come. For more information about our Annual Report, please read the report below. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together. Happy reading!

Here's the 2022 Annual Report.