Building Markets started in 2004 with a deceptively simple mission: to reduce poverty in crisis-impacted countries by championing local entrepreneurs. Building markets connect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to new business opportunities, markets, and capital. SMEs make up 90 percent of any private sector and create the vast majority of jobs, but they often lack the resources to scale. Building Markets works to address that gap.

Recently, they’ve launched a beta version of a new web platform featuring these 230 Syrian entrepreneurs to help connect them to supply chains, financing, and investment opportunities. We caught up recently with Jennifer Holt, CEO of Building Markets, to hear more about the challenges facing entrepreneurs in conflict-affected areas, and the growing community of Syrian entrepreneurs in Turkey.

Our new platform brings our first 230 businesses online...Behind this platform we have rich business data that we will leverage to connect our network to investment and supply chains. With our local partners, we plan to reach 2,000 SMEs in Turkey 2018, and to expand into the region. -Jennifer Holt

The Syrian refugee crisis is devastating, but it’s also created an opportunity to unleash the potential of refugee entrepreneurs, which could help offset the cost of the crisis while creating economic and social benefits for all.

Read the full article by Zachary Slobig about Syrian refugees from Skoll