13 October 2003
"Woman and Investment Forum, held in Aleppo recently under the patronage of Mrs. Asma Al-Assad, has made significant steps the most important of which is the creation of "Al-Mawred" organization, and setting up an incubator as a pioneering experience in Damascus to be applied throughout the country.
Undoubtedly, the preliminary visions of the project had been enriched through the vast Arab participation, as the forum gave an opportunity to get acquainted with Arab countriesص experiences as regards to the creation of incubators for backing up businesswomen`s activities and projects.
Dr. Noha Chuck, SEBC National Team Leader, made a presentation on Al-Mawred and Business Incubators, explaining that Al-Mawred is the acronym of modernizing and reactivating womenصs role, and is a non-profitable organization co-established by SEBC.
Mrs. Chuck pointed out that زal-Mawredس is the mother organization, whereas the incubator is the first project of "al-Mawred".
Dr. Chuck pointed out that al-Mawred`s vision is to increase, encourage and support entrepreneurship within women in Syria, whereas its objective is to establish a self-sustained incubator that will advise, direct and help launch businesses that will grow profitable and independently contributing to the Syrian economy and the overall welfare of women and their role in the business community.
Chuck added, "Al-Mawred" focuses on Information Technology and Telecom, Marketing-Communications, Tourism-hospitality, and other.
About the expected role of Mawred, Dr. chuck said, "It is to help promote the incubator within their communities and business, be the public face of the incubator, help generate business for incubator companies, participate in management of Incubator board, participate in Quarterly meeting, be the role model for the women leaders in the incubator, and organise a yearly award reception."
Regarding Incubator set-up structure, the operational aspect is to help develop market analysis for portfolio companies, help establish sales - marketing plan, help generate sales leads and sales, help set -up the strategy of the business, help recruiting people – training, help create legal status, help fund raising process, and help graduation process.
However, the proposed incubator provides consultative services including a comprehensive survey to define domains of technical aid, general evaluation of plants and companies along with the implementation of the proposals of this evaluation, in addition to providing economic feasibility.
An incubator also offers economic data services including answering entire questions on law, trade, and statistics, as well as services on training and administrative development that cover general training courses, specialized courses, workshops, conferences, as well as local, Arab and international symposiums.
Furthermore, incubators provide export and investment promotion services including field missions, analysing the flow of trade and investments, conducting market surveys and holding meetings of exporters, importers and investors, whereas incubator`s practical activity involves registration of companies, and a partnership between the incubator and the companies which will benefit from the incubator’s projects, Dr. Chuck said.
However, incubator is a company which has dual activity that is incubator set-up and businesses to set-up.
Incubator set-up covers management, financial, physical environment, operational, senior mentors, management board, and industry partnerships, while businesses to set-up includes business evaluation; selection process; business set-up that covers management, legal, financial, operational; training revenue acquisition and growth; fund raising; and graduation process, Dr. Chuck concluded.
However, the forum was an opportunity to speak in details about Al-Mawred, which embodies huge efforts made by Syrian businesswomen. These efforts yielded the setting up of "Al-Mawred" organization in 2001-02 under the patronage of Syrian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
"Woman and Investment Forum, held in Aleppo recently under the patronage of Mrs. Asma Al-Assad, has made significant steps the most important of which is the creation of "Al-Mawred" organization, and setting up an incubator as a pioneering experience in Damascus to be applied throughout the country.
Undoubtedly, the preliminary visions of the project had been enriched through the vast Arab participation, as the forum gave an opportunity to get acquainted with Arab countriesص experiences as regards to the creation of incubators for backing up businesswomen`s activities and projects.
Dr. Noha Chuck, SEBC National Team Leader, made a presentation on Al-Mawred and Business Incubators, explaining that Al-Mawred is the acronym of modernizing and reactivating womenصs role, and is a non-profitable organization co-established by SEBC.
Mrs. Chuck pointed out that زal-Mawredس is the mother organization, whereas the incubator is the first project of "al-Mawred".
Dr. Chuck pointed out that al-Mawred`s vision is to increase, encourage and support entrepreneurship within women in Syria, whereas its objective is to establish a self-sustained incubator that will advise, direct and help launch businesses that will grow profitable and independently contributing to the Syrian economy and the overall welfare of women and their role in the business community.
Chuck added, "Al-Mawred" focuses on Information Technology and Telecom, Marketing-Communications, Tourism-hospitality, and other.
About the expected role of Mawred, Dr. chuck said, "It is to help promote the incubator within their communities and business, be the public face of the incubator, help generate business for incubator companies, participate in management of Incubator board, participate in Quarterly meeting, be the role model for the women leaders in the incubator, and organise a yearly award reception."
Regarding Incubator set-up structure, the operational aspect is to help develop market analysis for portfolio companies, help establish sales - marketing plan, help generate sales leads and sales, help set -up the strategy of the business, help recruiting people – training, help create legal status, help fund raising process, and help graduation process.
However, the proposed incubator provides consultative services including a comprehensive survey to define domains of technical aid, general evaluation of plants and companies along with the implementation of the proposals of this evaluation, in addition to providing economic feasibility.
An incubator also offers economic data services including answering entire questions on law, trade, and statistics, as well as services on training and administrative development that cover general training courses, specialized courses, workshops, conferences, as well as local, Arab and international symposiums.
Furthermore, incubators provide export and investment promotion services including field missions, analysing the flow of trade and investments, conducting market surveys and holding meetings of exporters, importers and investors, whereas incubator`s practical activity involves registration of companies, and a partnership between the incubator and the companies which will benefit from the incubator’s projects, Dr. Chuck said.
However, incubator is a company which has dual activity that is incubator set-up and businesses to set-up.
Incubator set-up covers management, financial, physical environment, operational, senior mentors, management board, and industry partnerships, while businesses to set-up includes business evaluation; selection process; business set-up that covers management, legal, financial, operational; training revenue acquisition and growth; fund raising; and graduation process, Dr. Chuck concluded.
However, the forum was an opportunity to speak in details about Al-Mawred, which embodies huge efforts made by Syrian businesswomen. These efforts yielded the setting up of "Al-Mawred" organization in 2001-02 under the patronage of Syrian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Nahed Hashem
© Syria Times 2003
