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Gaza Sky Geeks

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Gaza Sky Geeks
TypeNon-Profit Organization, Startup accelerator
Location
ProductsTraining Programs, Start-ups Accelators, co-working space
Key peopleDirector Ryan Sturgill
Employees45
Websitegazaskygeeks.com

Gaza Sky Geeks, previously known as the Arab Developer Network Initiative, is the first and only tech hub and startup accelerator in Gaza in Palestine. It was founded with the backing of the global humanitarian organization Mercy Corps and Google in 2011 after Google executives, led by then Google.org and Google head Megan Smith, visited Gaza. Since 2015, Gaza Sky Geeks has been a community partner hub of the Google for Startups Network. Since then, Gaza Sky Geeks has received the backing of other Silicon Valley big names such as Microsoft and also of international donors such as the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

Gaza Sky Geeks seeks to create a stage for young talents to grow while improving their skills through receiving professional mentoring and performing hands-on work. It also encourages female startup members within the IT community to engage in business and software engineering activities. Gaza Sky Geeks also provides start-up grants for young IT entrepreneurs to begin their businesses in the challenging market environment of Gaza. It hosts up to 140 people a day, with almost half of those hosted being women, with a prospective second location opening in the near future. Tt has promoted local youth startups that receive significant attention from large U.S. technology firms such as Stripe and Silicon Valley Bank.

In 2008 and 2009 employees of Google tried to enter Gaza but were unable to do so because of the blockade of the Gaza Strip. In 2011 they gained access thanks to Mercy Corps who carried out humanitarian work in Gaza. Thus, Google donated $1 million to launch the Arab Developer Network Initiative to stimulate tech and entrepreneurship in the isolated enclave.

A major obstacle for Palestinian freelancers is handling online payments as PayPal cannot be used by Palestinians. In March 2018, MasterCard began researching e-payment solutions for Palestinians.

Programs

Gaza Sky Geeks runs three main programs:

Code Academy

Is a full stack Bootcamp program runs by a partnership with Founder and Coders, Founders and Coders is a free bootcamp program based in London, The program typically runs for 4 months of which the first 8 weeks is focused on training of new topics including but not incluise to API, testing, NodeJS. the rest of the weeks the students do projects.

GeeXeleator

GeeXelerator is GSG's 16-week pre-seed startup accelerator program. Access to co-working space, fiber internet, and other amenities in the GSG's facilities are provided along with $2,000 in grant money per team. Participants are selected using hackathon tryouts.

Skylancer Academy

The Skylancer Academy is GSG's multitrack program for beginning freelancers. It offers two fulltime tracks; one 12-weeks program teaching young people skilled in web development, graphical design, mobile development and social media how to succeed as online freelanders, and one 10-weeks program offering technical skills training.

Gaza Sky Geeks in Media

External links

References

  1. "About Us page". Gaza Sky Geeks. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  2. ^ Anid, Nada; Cantileno, Laurie; Monique J. Morrow; Rahilla Zafar (9 September 2016). The Internet of Women: Accelerating Culture Change. River Publishers. pp. 19–. ISBN 978-87-93379-68-8.
  3. "Google for Startups Community Partners Page". Google for Startups. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  4. Anna Abelmann; Katharina Konarek (27 April 2018). The German Political Foundations' Work between Jerusalem, Ramallah and Tel Aviv: A Kaleidoscope of Different Perspectives. Springer. pp. 109–. ISBN 978-3-658-20019-0.
  5. Andie Long. "Boosting employment in Palestinian tech sector with Google.org and Source of Hope Foundation". mercycorps. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  6. "Meet Gaza's female geeks". Aljazeera. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
  7. M. Shroeder, Christopher (January 10, 2017). "Gaza is attracting the attention of Silicon Valley as young tech entrepreneurs push to solve problems themselves". Recode. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
  8. Kuchler, Hannah (February 21, 2018). "Gaza, Yemen and a lesson for Big Tech". Financial Times. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
  9. "MasterCard teams up with GSG to Overcome Online Payment Hurdles". Gaza Sky Geeks. 1 March 2018.
  10. "GeeXelerator FAQ".
  11. "Events GeeXelerator".
  12. "Skylancer Freelancing Academy".
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