Flat6Labs has celebrated the completion of its three-year StartMashreq Program at the StartMashreq Forum held in Amman, marking a major milestone in supporting entrepreneurship and innovation across Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq. The initiative, led by Flat6Labs in partnership with the Kingdom of the Netherlands and supported by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), focused on expanding economic opportunities in frontier and fragile markets, with a strong emphasis on women and forcibly displaced persons.
The forum brought together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and ecosystem leaders to reflect on the program’s impact and future potential. High-level participation included H.E. Stella Kloth, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Jordan, and senior officials from Jordan’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, underscoring the depth of regional and international collaboration behind the program.
Over its duration, StartMashreq supported more than 4,500 entrepreneurs, reached over 3,000 women and forcibly displaced founders, and contributed to the creation of 350 direct jobs. Participating startups collectively secured more than USD 28 million in funding and generated USD 51 million in revenues, demonstrating tangible progress in job creation, inclusion, and startup scalability across the Levant.
Flat6Labs Chairman and Co-Founder Hany El-Sonbaty said the program reflects a shift in how entrepreneurship can be effectively supported in challenging environments, proving that access to knowledge, networks, and capital enables founders to build sustainable, growth-oriented companies. IFC Regional Director Khawaja Aftab Ahmed highlighted entrepreneurship as a key driver of resilience and inclusive growth, particularly for young and educated populations facing economic uncertainty.
Ambassador Stella Kloth reaffirmed the Netherlands’ commitment to supporting innovation in the region, noting that empowering women, youth, and refugees through entrepreneurship is essential to shaping a more inclusive economic future. With StartMashreq now complete, Flat6Labs plans to expand the model into new regions, positioning it as a scalable and replicable framework for ecosystem development in emerging markets.
