Data digitalization is crucial for driving informed policies and sustainable development in Iraq, enabling faster analysis for evidence-based decision-making, fostering transparency, and bridging information gaps across various sectors. The UNDP Accelerator Lab in Iraq has supported the expansion of the iDATA platform, an initiative that aligns with the Lab’s mission to explore, test, and scale local solutions to the country’s most pressing development challenges.
In an era where data drives progress, Iraq is making significant strides through homegrown solutions that place data at the heart of innovation and development. The iDATA platform, powered by KAPITA Business Hub, aims to revolutionize data access and utilization across both public and private sectors. It stands as a testament to the capabilities of local solutions in addressing critical issues, such as youth unemployment, ecosystem development, and education reform.
Bridging the Data Divide with iDATA
One of the most persistent barriers to growth in Iraq is the lack of accessible, reliable, and interactive data. Key sectors, including education, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation, often suffer from data scarcity, which hinders stakeholders from fully understanding ecosystem needs and opportunities. The iDATA platform directly addresses this gap by aggregating official data from the Iraqi government and the World Bank, and presenting it through user-friendly, interactive dashboards.
Currently, iDATA features six dashboards, including the State Budget Dashboard, the Country Profile Dashboard, and the Digital Economy Actors Mapping in Iraq Dashboard. These tools have already attracted significant user engagement, with over 1,000 visitors during the first week of the platform’s beta launch.
A Data-Driven Vision for Iraq’s Future
The iDATA platform is more than just a digital tool—it’s a transformative initiative that has the potential to reshape Iraq’s data and innovation landscape. By centralizing sectoral data and presenting it in an accessible, interactive, and actionable format, iDATA empowers policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and citizens to make more informed decisions.
To further enhance the platform, the UNDP Accelerator Lab supported the development of two new dashboards:
- The Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Dashboard: Tracks startup activities, investment trends, innovation hubs, co-working spaces, and regulatory frameworks, becoming an essential resource for understanding and strengthening Iraq’s startup environment.
- The Education Ecosystem Dashboard: Provides insights into student demographics, university specialization, skill development, and technology integration in education, aiming to bridge the market-skill gap that contributes to high youth unemployment rates in Iraq.
Locally-Led Innovation, Globally Supported
The iDATA initiative showcases the power of partnerships, innovation, and digital solutions in addressing Iraq’s most pressing challenges. Through supporting the scale-up of iDATA, the UNDP Accelerator Lab is fostering a development model that prioritizes local innovators, supported by the power of data, collaboration, and the promise of sustainable progress.
