Five One Labs

For the first time in remembered history, more than 1% of the world’s population is currently displaced due to conflict or persecution (roughly 1 in 95 people). The average length of displacement is now approximately 20 years. Despite this long displacement time, refugees and migrants are often unable to rebuild their lives in their new location for reasons including bias, tension with locals, limited local networks, lack of certifications, language barriers and a lack of an entrepreneurial support ecosystem to tap into. The humanitarian system was designed to provide lifesaving emergency aid and doesn’t generally provide meaningful support in accessing dignified livelihoods in the host country. 

This situation leaves migrants and refugees vulnerable to labor exploitation, poverty and lost opportunities. Coupled with limited entrepreneurial education available in formal education in local communities and a gap in access to resources to build the skills and knowledge needed to launch and grow successful and sustainable businesses, many innovative business ideas and opportunities are lost due to a lack of knowledge and training. When we launched in Iraq in 2017, we were among the first organizations to provide high quality educational and vocational programs to support conflict-affected young adults in bringing their dreams to life. Before this, access to business skills learning opportunities was extremely limited. 

This problem of access to education, training and resources for entrepreneurship is replicated in many locations around the world where refugees and migrants settle. For example, the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2023/2024 Global Report, 25 Years and Growing, found that entrepreneurial education in schools was satisfactory or better in just five out of 49 economies evaluated. With formal education, including at the college/university level, largely unable to provide the critical skills and knowledge needed to launch sustainable businesses, refugee and migrant populations need other approaches and models of support in order to effectively utilize entrepreneurship to create opportunity and prosperity for themselves, their families and their communities. We know that migrants and refugees are not ‘beneficiaries’ or ‘burdens’ - they are a valuable, yet untapped, resource. Solving this problem of ensuring access to high quality entrepreneurship education and support will ensure that this untapped resource is unleashed to create jobs and be a catalyst for positive change in their communities.

Our solution is to provide youth in conflict-affected locations access to vocational learning via startup incubation and acceleration  to equip them with the knowledge, skills and networks necessary to start and grow technology centric and enabled businesses in their new communities. 

We work as a nonprofit organization that trains entrepreneurs to bring their startups to life through inclusive programming that builds self-confidence, bridges divides between local community members and new arrivals and provides an inclusive, supportive space to build critical skills. 

Our programs follow a structured curriculum covering key aspects of entrepreneurship, including ideation, market research, business planning, financial management, and marketing. Participants engage in interactive workshops, receive one-on-one mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs and industry experts, and have access to online resources and tools to support their learning and growth. Additionally, we provide opportunities for participants to connect with investors, partners, and peers within the entrepreneurship ecosystem, facilitating collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and support networks. Our programs have been translated into four languages (English, Arabic, Kurdish and Spanish) and always include both refugee/migrant and members of the host community.  Through our learning curriculum on leadership, ethical management and other practices, we are working with the entrepreneurs to not only learn how to lead teams, but how to do so grounded in collaboration, support and inclusivity for their employees. 

We offer a variety of programs that are designed to meet the specific needs of our participants. Our core offerings include: 

• The Startup Incubator Series: This program is our flagship program to support dynamic, youth entrepreneurs. We have held over 10 iterations of this program since 2017, in Iraq and Colombia. This program provides over 100 hours of learning through our in-house curriculum. 

• Female Founders Fellowship: To support diverse, women-led businesses, Five One Labs has a four-month Female Founders Fellowship for later-stage businesses. Through the Female Founders Fellowship, we provide contextualized support for female founders who are running existing businesses, both traditional and tech enabled. 

• Tech Bootcamp:  This program is a weekend-long entrepreneurship training and competition that supports 30-40 aspiring tech entrepreneurs from the migrant and returnee communities. Similar to a hackathon, the Bootcamps target  beginner and aspiring entrepreneurs and help them develop technology startup ideas while practicing the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. 

We primarily work with conflict-affected young adults living in Iraq and Colombia, although we have also held projects in Brazil and the United States. We serve youth aged 18-35 who are either refugees, migrants, internally displaced or members of the host community. The overall ratio of women in our programs is 48% and we also have programs exclusively for women. 

We prioritize customization, adaptation and continuous innovation in our work. As such, our programs are adjusted based on the local context in each country and city we operate within, addressing unique issues, cultural nuances and opportunities for newcomers to thrive in their new home. We conduct real time feedback and impact data collection and analysis during our programs, including weekly surveys that make sure we are hitting our learning and impact targets. In addition, our entire team of trainers, project managers and country staff are deeply connected to our communities and ensure that their needs are met throughout our programs. 

Through our programs, events and other work, we directly impact over 3,000 people per year, not including the larger indirect impact on the broader community through the creation of new jobs, improving perceptions of refugees and migrants by the host community, and other impacts. 

Our solution addresses the needs of the target population in several ways. These educational initiatives provide aspiring entrepreneurs with training, mentorship, access to resources, funding and networking opportunities so critical to launching and growing successful businesses that will provide sustainable and dignified livelihoods for the entrepreneurs, as well as their employees. 

We contribute to the development of a thriving and inclusive community of entrepreneurs, mentors, and ecosystem partners who provide ongoing guidance, encouragement, and practical assistance to aspiring entrepreneurs throughout their entrepreneurial journey. Our solution prioritizes ventures with the potential for significant impact and scale, empowering entrepreneurs to address pressing needs within their communities. 

The Five One Labs team is uniquely positioned to design and deliver education solutions tailored to the needs of entrepreneurs in conflict-affected communities. Our deep-rooted connection to these communities, coupled with our diverse backgrounds and technical expertise, enables us to understand their challenges intimately and develop innovative programs that address their specific needs effectively. 

Our programs are designed and led by teams in Colombia based in Barranquilla and in Iraq based in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah. Additionally, we operate two coworking spaces in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah that provide ongoing close interaction and engagement by our team with startups in the local community. This diversity within our team ensures that our programs are designed with sensitivity to cultural nuances and grounded in the realities of the communities we serve.

Every aspect of our work is guided and informed by the input, priorities and ideas of the communities we serve. We employ participatory approaches, including focus group discussions, surveys, and one-on-one interviews, to gather insights directly from entrepreneurs and other stakeholders to ensure that our programs are responsive to community needs, preferences, and aspirations. Furthermore, we actively involve community members in program delivery as mentors, guest speakers, and advisors, leveraging their expertise and insights to enrich the learning experience for aspiring entrepreneurs. 

We have selected ‘Scale’ as Five One Labs has successfully expanded our operations to a second country (Colombia) and has validated our hypothesis that our model is replicable in its ability to achieve positive impact in multiple locations. We intend to bring our model to 3-5 more countries over the next 5 years, as well as launch new program offerings to provide programs focused on topics such as clean tech, climate and other.

We are applying to Solve because we recognize the immense value of collaboration and partnership in advancing our mission to support entrepreneurs in conflict-affected communities through increasing access to highest quality, practical vocational education programs. While we have made significant strides in our work, we face several barriers to further growth that we seek to overcome. 

We hope to increase the visibility of our work, access pro-bono legal or other support to further enhance our operational capacity, refine and enhance our monitoring and evaluation practices (with a particular focus on measuring our indirect impact), build connections with peers for collaboration and learning, and access funding opportunities. 

By connecting us with like-minded organizations, potential partners, and experienced professionals, Solve can be a catalyst for us to strengthen our network, expand our reach, and amplify the impact of our work.

Our solution is innovative due to how only the cutting edge business skills education that the entrepreneurs receive, but in how we have designed every aspect of our engagement and support of conflict affected entrepreneurs. While those we support may have had experiences with receiving help or support from humanitarian organizations in the past, it's often been partial, focusing solely on immediate or a limited set of needs. In contrast, our approach is holistic, recognizing the complexity of the individual experience and needs the entrepreneurs bring to our programs.

 One key aspect of our innovation lies in our human-centered approach. We don’t just see participants as recipients of a service; we recognize their agency, their dreams, and their potential. When someone joins our program, they're met with a level of personal commitment that exceeds expectations. We're deeply invested in their success, not just as entrepreneurs, but as dynamic leaders striving for a better future for themselves, their families and their communities as a whole.

Moreover, we don’t dictate solutions from the top down. Instead, we collaborate closely with entrepreneurs, co-creating strategies for launching or growing their businesses tailored to their unique circumstances through the experiential design of our programs. This partnership with the entrepreneurs ensures that the curriculum and programming developed to serve them are not only effective but also deeply rooted in the experiences and needs of those we serve.

Our approach also challenges entrepreneurs to step outside their comfort zones, fostering growth not only in their businesses but also in their personal capacity as leaders and managers. By encouraging this kind of growth, we're not just supporting businesses; we're fostering a culture of empowerment and positive change that will ripple out across communities.

In doing so, we bridge the gap between the startup incubation sector and the humanitarian sector. We bring humanity to the world of entrepreneurship support, recognizing the inherent dignity and worth of every individual. At the same time, we bring business skills and innovation to the humanitarian sector, ensuring that aid is not just about meeting basic needs but also about building sustainable pathways to prosperity. We believe that our solution is a model that other organizations may adopt to inform and further catalyze both the humanitarian and entrepreneurship education sectors. 

We firmly believe that fostering access to comprehensive and inclusive learning and education opportunities for youth entrepreneurs—ranging from training and mentorship to community building and financing—serves as a catalyst for both personal and community growth. By equipping them with the necessary tools and resources, we aim not only to enhance their individual livelihoods but also to enrich the local economy and community fabric. This includes immersive education and  training in design thinking, essential business skills, and effective management practices. Additionally, we offer mentorship from seasoned entrepreneurs and business experts, facilitating invaluable knowledge transfer and guidance. By connecting participants to a supportive community and expansive business network, we cultivate an environment conducive to collaboration and growth. Moreover, through strategic financing via seed funding and stipends, we enable entrepreneurs to prototype their products and develop their businesses with confidence. Ultimately, our focus on education and comprehensive support underscores our commitment to nurturing the next generation of innovative leaders and driving positive change at both individual and societal levels.

Our Impact Goals include  that 1) Conflict-affected entrepreneurs are equipped with the resources needed to rebuild their lives with dignity and 2) Local economic development increases because of employment and job creation. We achieve this through our entrepreneurship education programs, which track a number of indicators to measure the impact of our work. Some of the key indicators we gather include the following:

Output Level:

• Entrepreneurs trained

• Mentorship relationships created

• Amount of financing awarded

Outcome Level:

• Increased number of startups founded

• Increased number of new business ideas

• Greater number of jobs created through startups

• Greater ability of entrepreneurs to generate income

Our entrepreneurs are at the center of our work, so ensuring that we are meeting their needs, especially as these needs evolve over time, is critical to how we define achieving impact. 

We are an organization built on a foundation of human-centered design, or ensuring that our user is at the center of our work. We aim to ensure that all of our interventions are built on a solid foundation of evidence, both qualitative and quantitative, and we collect data on our programming and businesses in a variety of ways. We value constant improvement, and ensure that we listen to our customers - the startups and startup founders - to gather feedback on the impact and usefulness of our programs. 

Five One Labs uses a variety of methods to collect data, feedback, and lessons learned over the course of its programs. Before each program begins, our Startup Support team sends a baseline survey to our participants to gather specific information: personal information about the individual as well as information on their business idea, business traction, and knowledge and understanding of key concepts. 

During our programs, our teams send out weekly surveys and hold one-on-one sessions with our entrepreneurs to gather:

• Feedback on the trainers

• Feedback on the usefulness of the topics covered that week

• Updates on the progress of each business

• Information on what parts of the program have been most helpful to the entrepreneur

At the end of our programs, we send each entrepreneur a final survey to measure the progress of the entrepreneur in terms of business development, knowledge learned, and business connections made as compared to the baseline survey. Depending on the specific program, these follow-on surveys may be repeated at set intervals to measure long term outcomes from the program.

Our solution is powered by bringing best in class business education and support to technology centric and enabled startups. We embed skill and knowledge building on Artificial Intelligence, digitizing business operations, and other technology topics into our program curriculum. Through equipping our entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills needed to leverage these tools effectively in their ventures, we work to demystify complex technologies and provide practical guidance on implementation to our highly innovative entrepreneurs.

24 Full time staff

7 years

At Five One Labs, we are deeply committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all team members. We recognize the value that diversity brings to our organization, not only in terms of varied perspectives and experiences but also in driving innovation and creativity in our work.

Our leadership team reflects our commitment to diversity at all levels of our organization. We are proud to have a leadership team composed of individuals from diverse backgrounds, including different nationalities, ethnicities, genders, and professional experiences. This diversity enriches our decision-making processes and ensures that a wide range of voices are heard in shaping our strategic direction. Our organization has on the ground teams in Colombia and Iraq, and global staff primarily based in the United States. Our Managing Directors, based in Colombia and Iraq, manage local teams, programs and operations. Additionally, we have a Global Managing Committee, comprised of the Managing Directors and global leadership, which sets organizational strategy and manages global decisions. Our Executive Director and Board of Directors provides oversight and ensures fiscal and regulatory compliance. This process fosters collaboration across our executive team and board members, melding insights from our worldwide operations with the nuanced realities of the local contexts in which we work.

Additionally, we have a ‘startup’ culture across our organization that prizes innovation, adaptability and impact. We have cultivated an organization culture that includes a highly democratic style of working and making decisions, where everyone’s opinion is valued.  While we have made progress in building a diverse team, we acknowledge that there is always room for going to the next level. As part of our ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, we have set clear goals for our organization:

• Majority BIPOC and women led:

  • Executive Leadership Team

    • Total % Women: 50

    • Total % BIPOC: 75 

  • Staff

    • Total % Women: 62

    • Total % BIPOC: 92

• Locally led:

  • Over 90% of our team members live and work in the communities where our solution is deployed. 

• Creating Equitable Opportunities: 

  • We strive to create equitable opportunities for all team members to advance and grow within our organization. This includes implementing policies and practices that address disparities and remove barriers to advancement, such as offering professional development opportunities, and flexible work arrangements.

• Fostering Inclusive Culture: 

  • We are dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment where all team members feel welcomed, valued, respected, and supported. This involves promoting open communication, actively listening to diverse perspectives, and fostering a sense of belonging among team members.

• Regular Feedback and Assessment: 

  • We regularly solicit feedback from team members through surveys, and one-on-one conversations to assess our progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion goals and identify areas for improvement.

By prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion in our organization, we believe we can better serve the diverse populations we work with and create a more equitable and just society for all. We remain committed to continuously evolving and improving our practices to ensure that Five One Labs remains a welcoming and inclusive environment for all team members.

At Five One Labs, our business model is built on a foundation of empowering and supporting aspiring entrepreneurs in conflict-affected communities to build successful and sustainable businesses. We recognize the immense potential within these communities and aim to unlock it through tailored programs, resources, and mentorship.

Our key customers and beneficiaries include the entrepreneurs and ecosystem partners such as investors. Our primary customers are the innovative entrepreneurs within conflict-affected communities. These individuals often lack access to traditional support networks and resources necessary to launch and grow their businesses. We provide them with the tools, knowledge, and networks needed to turn their ideas into thriving ventures. We also engage with investors and partners who are interested in supporting and investing in impactful ventures.

Our services include comprehensive entrepreneurship programs tailored to the needs of our target communities. These programs include training sessions, workshops, mentorship, and networking opportunities designed to equip entrepreneurs with essential skills and knowledge across various aspects of business development, such as ideation, market research, financial planning, and marketing. Our programs include startup bootcamps for university students, camp based workshops, our flagship startup incubator series, programs exclusively for women, and acceleration programs.  We provide our programs through intensive workshops, delivered primarily in-person to facilitate building connections and a peer support structure between participants. This approach allows us to provide localized, targeted personalized support and interaction. We also intentionally build collaborations with business leaders, experts and organizations who may provide additional support to the entrepreneurs as guest speakers, mentors and service providers.

Demand for our programs is extremely high, with programs such as our 2023 Female Founders Fellowship in Colombia only being able to accept 1.5% of applicants. This speaks to the clear recognition on the part of conflict-affected entrepreneurs of the potential of starting and growing businesses to be a viable avenue to attain improved livelihood opportunities. Through our programs, we provide key guidance and support, empowering participants to seize opportunities and enhance their livelihoods. Additionally, the communities in which we operate see benefits through the development of local businesses that can create jobs, solve local market needs and support the growth of a thriving economy.  Moreover, our entrepreneurs benefit from access to a diverse network of mentors, peers, investors, and support services that they may not have access to otherwise. These connections open up new opportunities, facilitate learning, and accelerate the growth of their businesses.

To date our work has been funded through government, corporate, individual and foundation grants that support our country and global operations. Supporters (financial and pro-bono) of our work have included: GIZ, USAID, Netherlands Enterprise Agency, GHR Foundation,Digital Giraffes, Vested, ZenDesk, GetResponse, and Raleigh Founded. As we look to the future, we will continue to strengthen our financial sustainability through:

1. Securing multi-year, catalytic grants for our country and global operations from local, national, regional and international funders in the entrepreneurship, livelihoods and economic development space. 

2. Building our marketing and development internal capacity to build awareness, engagement and support to expand our recurring individual donor base. 

3. Developing pipeline for sponsorships for events, research projects and other non-training projects