At certain points throughout the history, stories from Kurdistan have made global headlines, but these have mostly been about tragedies the Kurds faced or braveries they demonstrated. This nation, however, has other stories to tell now – stories of brilliant, innovative minds coming together to make our world a better place.
Having regularly met with young women and men from around Kurdistan and learning about their ideas, passions, and dreams, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani wanted to unlock the remarkable potential of his people and initiated the establishment of Kurdistan’s first innovation institute in 2021. A year later, the Kurdistan Innovation Institute (KII) is a center where, as the prime minister once said, creativity is enhanced, knowledge is distilled, and innovation is rewarded.
During the institute’s official launch ceremony in November 2022, PM Barzani, who is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of KII, underscored that the institute will be tailored specifically to the youth of Kurdistan, providing them with the tools and environment to help them pursue their ideas.
At the same event, examples of several past Kurdish innovators were introduced – a man who developed his German-made Opel sedan into an electric car in his own yard only a few years after Tesla introduced its first product, a young developer who introduced the first Kurdish keyboard for IOS operating systems years before Apple Company added the keyboard to its system, and a group of students who built the first face-recognition system compatible with the facial features of the Kurdish people.
“Anyone who dares to innovate, who wants to devote their time to research and entrepreneurship and the development of technology, will be welcome here,” PM Barzani said during his speech. “Our people have earned the right to think big. I say to you here today that we will support ideas that introduce new technologies to make sure that we - in the KRG - can respond to the needs of the public quickly.”
KII’s primary goal is to support people who have innovative ideas, helping them connect and create together, and ultimately contribute to a more developed society and more sustainable economy. At KII, experienced business developers, internationally recognized inventors, prominent investors, and skillful engineers work hand in hand to accomplish this mission.
"We at KII work not only to develop innovative ideas into business models but to foster the culture of innovation. We encourage our educational system to dream beyond theoretical methods and adopt a rather practical approach in order to contribute to a more sustainable development of Kurdistan."
Dr. Sarbaz N. Othman
While the idea of the institute originates from PM Barzani’s aspirations for developing Kurdistan, several tough challenges also contributed to pressing for the creation of such a facility. First, the region enjoys a large young population with 62.9% under the age of 30. It has remarkable natural resources, fertile arable lands, a well-educated young generation, and an open attitude towards the outside world.
Yet some key developmental factors are missing that require an institute like KII to act. For instance, locally manufactured goods are very limited both in volume and variety, which has left the region heavily dependent on imported materials to supply local markets. For example, according to a recent study, nearly 80% of the materials in the region’s construction market alone are imported from neighboring countries and beyond. The remaining 20% of local products, however, struggle to compete with imported materials.
This issue is not unique to Kurdistan, as Iraq struggles with the same challenge. According to the Iraqi Federation of Industries, outdated methods and old technologies, a lack of innovation, and a lack of expertise are the key factors contributing to the limited capacity of the manufacturing sector. However, infrastructural challenges were not the sole reason for KII’s establishment. Many innovators have long struggled to actualize their ideas due to the lack of an organizational support that could connect them with key players, an essential aspect of innovation. KII is now filling this gap with an innovation model that connects innovators with these players and ultimately helps the Kurdistan Region realize a more forward-looking and sustainable economy that embraces new technologies and harnesses contemporary business trends.
KII Innovation Model and Its Key Players
KII’s organizational structure and mission have been designed to lead, manage, and carefully craft the context for successful innovation. It guides an innovator from the idea to a well-functioning prototype, a business model, investment, and finally mass production. KII’s innovation model is backed by a robust network of academics, public officials, bankers, product development experts, engineers, regulatory experts, and more.
There are three integral players in KII’s innovation model:
Government: Prime Minister Masrour Barzani seized the initiative to establish KII so that the government will drive the innovation model and determine the development areas that the institute will prioritize. The government will even build production facilities if innovator’s idea proves to be a game changer.
Academia: Universities and academic research centers are the second most important player in KII’s innovation model as they gather, disseminate, and push the boundaries of knowledge. KII will actively share knowledge with universities in Kurdistan and connect them with the other key players to create an environment where innovators can develop their ideas scientifically.
Industries: Manufacturing is central to the innovation model. KII has opened its own workshop replete with electrical and mechanical labs in which innovators can build prototypes after their applications are accepted. Additionally, KII cooperates with national and international manufacturing partners for the provision of services unavailable within the capacity of the facility.
Development Areas
At KII, any innovative, future-oriented, and potentially promising idea is welcome. Outfitted with a user-friendly portal in three languages (Kurdish, English, and Arabic), innovators can submit their ideas under a relevant category, such as human welfare, smart cities, housewares, sustainable energy, health, transportation, IT, fashion, automation, and others. Each application will be then reviewed by a specialized evaluation committee to proceed to the next stage, if it is deemed promising.
KII Science Park
The Kurdistan Innovation Institute will also build a state-of-the-art science park to create a purpose- built cluster of office spaces, labs, workrooms, meeting areas, and sports and accommodation facilities designed to support research and development in science and technology. The park’s primary goal, which is also reflected in its modern architectural design, is to create an environment for innovators, researchers, academics, investors, and government institutions to easily interact without bureaucratic procedures.
The facility will be built on a 200,000 square-meter piece of land in one of the most strategic areas of the capital Erbil. Renowned international architects have introduced the most advanced technologies, so the gigantic project will rely on clean energy to operate and demonstrate the will for the development of the Kurdistan Region. Once the physical facility is ready, Kurdistan will take another step towards becoming one of the most attractive locations for researchers, innovators, and investors not only from the region, but also from around the world.
Dr. Sarbaz N. Othman is the CEO & Board Member of Kurdistan Innovation Institute.
