The MENA region, known for scorching deserts, exquisite camels, and luscious palm trees, is widely accomplished in tourism, attracting more and more visitors. Although this breathtaking area is becoming a popular tourist destination, many of its countries' entrepreneurial ecosystems are limited regarding accelerator-trained advisors. Eileen Brewer, global catalyst for STEM education and experienced entrepreneurship advisor, noticed the potential in this untapped region, specifically Iraq, and was invited to embark on an inspiring journey to create a prosperous environment for young investors and startups to excel.
Eileen's experience, spanning over 20 years, showcases inclusive and all-embracing expertise, from working at tech companies in Silicon Valley to leading informative workshops worldwide. After working pro-bono and on short-term contracts for 10 years, Eileen had to change direction when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Unable to perform short-term work, the entrepreneurship advisor accepted an 18-month contract from the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani and began building the first tech accelerator in the country.
Eileen was one of three people hired by the University in Sulaimani to create the Takween Accelerator, a project designed to build and deliver tech accelerator-level training for tech startups based in Iraq. The first cohort started in September 2020 and included indoctrinating 12 startups from all corners of the country. In 12 weeks, Eileen and her coworkers delivered over 100 hours of training and mentorship. The modules included product development, market strategy, business operations, finance, customer discovery, and investor readiness.
The project was fully remote, all lessons were online, and Eileen worked from home in the US. However, the significant time difference between her and Iraq wasn't manageable. Options during COVID-19 were limited, and Eileen settled on moving to Croatia for three months and then to Turkey for the same period. During that time, Eileen ran two 12-week-long cohorts and a pre-accelerator program. After six months of working abroad, Eileen transferred to Iraq in December 2020 and stayed there until August 2021.
While based in Iraq, Eileen carried on with online courses and training for Takween Accelerator. "While I absolutely love getting to know my students individually and appreciate any face-to-face interaction, teaching online makes the program more accessible," explained Eileen. Online training enabled Takween to record the material, and students could revisit it whenever they needed.
Carefully curated cohorts allowed startups and entrepreneurs to complete growth-oriented training efficiently, equipping them with the necessary tools to transform innovative ideas into successful businesses. Eileen emphasizes that assessment is the first crucial step, and all her cohorts start with analyzing the number of sessions, amount of hours, and the overall topic. Then, by evaluating the ecosystem needs, Takween was able to provide training for entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors.
"In December 2023, I finished one of my mentorship training. The goal was to teach participants without experience in tech startups to become tech startup mentors. That required scrutinizing the difference between training and entrepreneur and training and mentor. For instance, if we use a document called Lean Canvas, the founder's job is to understand its every granular part, whereas mentors need to comprehend the concept at a higher level," added Eileen.
During the 18-month contract, she and her team delivered five cohorts and impacted over 60 startups nationwide. After the contract ended, Eileen took a position as an Accelerator Advisor where she supported her successor for four months, ensuring Takween Accelerator could continue empowering businesses.
Eileen, commenting on her experience in Iraq, said, "Takween Accelerator was an inspiring and fulfilling time in my career. I am fortunate to be able to continue to provide training to the startups as a remote trainer. The founders have articulated they appreciate being taught by someone who's been in the country and understands the culture" expresses Eileen. "There are micro startup ecosystems throughout the world and with the right support they can have a substantial impact on the gross world product (GWP), moving many citizens from surviving to thriving."
