Gaza's entrepreneurial community has long defied expectation. Before the conflict escalated in October 2023, Gaza was home to a growing technology sector, a thriving freelance economy and hundreds of active startups spanning e-commerce, agritech, edtech and software development. According to the Palestinian Information Technology Association of Companies (PITA), Gaza's IT sector alone employed over 4,000 professionals and generated more than $100 million in annual exports prior to the war.
The devastation that followed has been catastrophic. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), more than 80 per cent of Gaza's population has been displaced, approximately 70 per cent of businesses have been destroyed, and an estimated 85 per cent of jobs have been lost. The economic damage is staggering, with the World Bank estimating that Gaza's GDP contracted by more than 80 per cent in 2024.
And yet, the entrepreneurial spirit has not been extinguished.
A survey conducted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) found that approximately 70 per cent of young Gazan entrepreneurs expressed a desire to restart their businesses or launch new ventures as soon as conditions allowed. It is precisely this determination that GlocalShift sought to honour when designing Gaza Stars.
What Is Gaza Stars?
Gaza Stars is a six-month startup competition and entrepreneurship programme created by GlocalShift to support the economic recovery of Gaza through homegrown enterprise. The programme is part of GlocalShift's Learning to Earning initiative, delivered in strategic partnership with the Abdulaziz Al Ghurair Education Fund. The Learning to Earning programme is designed to bridge the gap between education and economic participation, equipping young people across the Arab region with the skills, networks and resources needed to build sustainable livelihoods.
Gaza Stars sits at the heart of this vision. Launched in response to the catastrophic economic disruption caused by the conflict, it represents Learning to Earning's most ambitious intervention to date, targeting 300 young entrepreneurs across Gaza and channelling education, mentorship and capital directly into the hands of those who need it most.
The programme is structured around two distinct tracks designed to meet the needs of Gaza's diverse entrepreneurial community.
Track A, the Recovery Track, is designed for founders who operated a business prior to the conflict and wish to rebuild. Participants in this track will receive support to revive their operations, re-enter the market and rebuild their customer base.
Track B, the Innovation Track, is open to aspiring entrepreneurs with a new idea that addresses an urgent post-war need. This track is particularly focused on youth, women and displaced populations, reflecting GlocalShift's commitment to inclusive recovery. The programme has set a target of at least 40 per cent female participation, recognising that women-led businesses are among the most impactful drivers of community recovery, according to research published by the World Economic Forum.
How the Programme Works
Gaza Stars is structured across six months with clear milestones designed to take participants from idea to investment-ready business.
During the first month, applications are open to all eligible entrepreneurs across Gaza. The second month brings an intensive one-month bootcamp covering business fundamentals, financial planning, market re-entry strategies, prototyping and pitch development. Participants receive one-to-one mentorship sessions with Palestinian trainers and diaspora mentors throughout.
In the third month, the top 15 startups from each track are selected through an internal pitch round. Track B participants go through a competitive semi-final process, with 150 applications narrowed to 60 semi-finalists and then to 15 finalists. The fourth month culminates in Demo Day, a live pitching event in front of investors and expert judges.
Months five and six focus on post-competition support, including ongoing mentorship, investor introductions, and legal and financial guidance to help winning teams scale their businesses.
The Prize Pool
The top five finalists in each track will receive seed funding awarded as follows:
First place receives $7,000. Second place receives $5,000. Third place receives $3,000. Fourth place receives $2,000. Fifth place receives $1,000.
The total prize pool across both tracks amounts to $36,000. Beyond the financial awards, all finalists will benefit from continued access to mentorship networks, investor connections and business development support.
Who Should Apply
Gaza Stars welcomes applications from entrepreneurs across all sectors, including but not limited to technology, agriculture, water and sanitation, food production, clean energy, education, e-commerce and logistics.
Applicants for Track A must provide evidence of a pre-war business, such as registration documents, client records or digital presence. Applicants for Track B are required to submit a compelling business concept addressing a post-war need. No formal business experience is required for Track B.
Women, young people, persons with disabilities and displaced populations are strongly encouraged to apply.
Apply Now
Applications for Gaza Stars are now open. The application window will remain open for one month from the date of this announcement.
Gaza's recovery will not come from outside. It will come from the people who refused to give up. Gaza Stars exists to find them, back them, and help them build the future their community deserves.
Get Involved: Partner With Us
Gaza Stars is more than a competition. It is a movement to rebuild an economy and restore hope to an entire generation of entrepreneurs. We believe that recovery at this scale requires collective effort, and we welcome the support of organisations, institutions and individuals who share that belief.
Whether you are interested in contributing financially to expand the reach and impact of the programme, offering technical expertise, mentorship or in-kind support to our participants, or exploring a formal partnership with GlocalShift and the Learning to Earning initiative, we would love to hear from you.
Every contribution, large or small, goes directly towards empowering a Gazan entrepreneur to rebuild their business and their community.
If you are interested in getting involved, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at Media@glocalshift.eu. We will respond to all enquiries and work with you to identify the most meaningful way to contribute.
Gaza needs its stars. Help us find them.
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