The aim of this venture is to combine private capital and EU grants to drive peace through targeted, sustainable, and peace-positive investments in Yemen’s nascent innovations sector. The end objective is to support sustainable economic growth and stability in Yemen driven by private sector growth, entrepreneurial ecosystem development, innovation and job creation, which empower women and youth, increase social cohesion and contribute towards a sustainable and inclusive peace.

The EU along with its partners works on four components: 

• the Social Innovation Labs (SILs) in collaboration with HSA Group, to identify innovative solutions to key socio-economic challenges, by engaging 100,000 Yemeni entrepreneurs and encouraging up to 1,000 entrepreneurs to apply with their ideas and solutions;

• the WATHBA Accelerator, a transformative 6-month programme designed to empower start-ups, particularly those founded by youth and women, including grants to enhance their capacities;

• the Yemen Angel Investment Network, identifying 25 champion angel investors that will invest in Yemeni start-ups which will also receive technical assistance to support their growth;

• the WATHBA Impact Investment Fund, the first of its kind in Yemen, aiming at attracting investments from private sector, including banks and diaspora crowdfunding. The Fund will invest in up to 20 promising start-ups in the field of agriculture, energy and digital innovation.