Rising From the Rubble
Entrepreneurship in Syria Post-Assad
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Entrepreneurship must not wait for recovery.Entrepreneurship is recovery.
Overview
Rising from the Rubble is the first comprehensive study to examine how Syrian entrepreneurs can drive recovery and rebuilding their communities after the fall of the Assad regime.
The report is based on surveys with 180 founders, 45 expert interviews, and data from over 200 active startups across Syria. It provides one of the clearest pictures yet of a rapidly evolving ecosystem that is rebuilding from the ground up.
What Is Inside
Key Findings
80.5% of Syrians now see entrepreneurship as essential to rebuilding the economy, up from only 26 percent in 2015. 68.4% of Syrian small businesses are bootstrapped. 34.7% of Syrian entrepreneurs are women, up from just 4.4% in 2009.
Current Challenges
Despite visible progress, founders still face severe funding shortages and lack of early-stage investment, weak digital and physical infrastructure, limited mentorship and business support outside major cities, and complex regulatory and legal barriers.
Startup Landscape
Over half of Syrian startups are still in the pre-seed or idea stage, highlighting both the emerging potential and the need for ecosystem support.