Forward in action
We’ve had the honour of working with incredibly ambitious and talented newcomers since our inception in 2017. The startups below are just a few examples of the businesses we’ve helped launch through our programs. They’re active in various industries (food and beverage, tech, agriculture, consumer goods, media, education, construction, and art) – reflecting the range of skills and interests of our participants. Forward·Inc has trained over 1000 newcomers, and 132 businesses have been launched.


Here is an intro about some of the inspiring journeys Forward·Inc alumni have taken.
To view a wider range of entrepreneur stories, as well as what they have to offer, visit Entrepreneur Products and Services
MOHAMMED AL FAKEE
Green Wheel

Creating more reliable, efficient and eco-friendly irrigation solutions for East African and Middle Eastern agriculture companies.
Irrigation farming protects a crops from extreme weather conditions and helps increase food production by providing a consistent water source. Through partnerships with the leading Solar pump producers in Europe, Green Wheel will take customers through every step of the solar pump procurement process, providing customers with the necessary information and expertise to ensure a smooth transition from and reliance on diesel pumps to a more sustainable solar irrigation solution.


RAHAF AL LYMONI
TAMIM KBARH
Daffee

A tasty beverage made from up-cycling date seeds that promotes a healthy lifestyle.
Daffee is a coffee-like (100% caffeine-free) organic energy booster full of antioxidants and protein – serving as a natural tonic for the body. Made from roasted and ground date seeds, this product has proven to be a great alternative for coffee / tea. In addition to the beverage the founders have recently launched a multi-flavoured nutritious mini bar called “Mira Bites”.

MOHAMMED ALASSAR
AskPro

Fast and reliable renovation services in Amsterdam.
AskPro Renovatie en Onderhoud’s mission is to employ at least 30 craftsmen newcomers and provide quality renovation services to the greater Amsterdam area within the next five years. Doing so, they’ll help newcomers adapt and integrate into Dutch society while contributing to the local economy.
OLA SHAMS & ALAA AJLANI
Bites by Ola

Because of the war, the Syrians carried their kitchen with them in the countries of displacement.
Some flavours became very far away, and some ingredients became difficult to obtain after they were readily available. The Syrians changed the form of their relationship with their kitchen after the war, the Syrian cuisine has become a kind of nostalgia. Its smell and taste are related to our pre-war life and remind us of our innocent childhood. The Syrians took their kitchen taste, and the idea of serving Syrian food was not just food to be eaten. Rather, it has become the story of people who wants to prove that we still have memories, past and history. Even if our expression of all feelings of longing and nostalgia is a meal, the most important of its ingredients are love and care.
Enjoy our meals!


Anna Ponomarenko Turned Brewery Waste Into Belgium’s Most Unexpected Snack
Anna Ponomarenko left Ukraine, rebuilt from scratch in Brussels, and turned brewery spent grain into BeerCrackers — Belgium's most culturally rooted new snack brand.
Yasmeen Jabri Built a Wellness Brand That Refuses to Stay Quiet
Yasmeen Jabri built a wellness brand that refuses to separate values from product. The story of Amphi Botanicals and the gap between clinical nutrition and traditional plant medicine.
Bashar Alshaibani Kept Forgetting Dutch Words. So He Built the App That Fixed It.
Bashar Alshaibani moved to the Netherlands, kept forgetting Dutch words, and built the app that fixed it. The story of Vlug and its 20,000 users across 18 languages.
Mahmoud El Wakil Lost the Competition That Gave Him His Idea. Then He Built the Company Anyway.
Mahmoud El Wakil lost a startup competition and built Homemade NL anyway — a platform turning home chefs across the Netherlands into food entrepreneurs.
She quit consulting to Sell Falafel. How Noor Built Nabati, Rotterdam’s Jordanian Restaurant
Noor left a Gulf consulting career at 2am in a Doha office and opened Nabati, a Jordanian food restaurant in Rotterdam built on recipes from home.
How Data Engineer, Tasnim Jemli, Is Bringing Tunisian Heritage to Dutch Tables
Tasnim Jemli left data engineering to build Jemly's, a Tunisian olive oil brand rooted in family heritage. Her story of health, trust, and building in public from Amsterdam.

Oproep vroege participatie – onderschrijvers
A coalition of Dutch organisations is urging the government to prioritize early integration of newcomers.
Forward•Inc alumni, Tamim and Rahaf Lymoni of Daffee, in Iamsterdam
Read about the journey of Daffee, innovative alternative to coffee, made from date beans, in Iamsterdam’s #FoundersFriday segment.
Forward•Inc alumnus Moataz Aouf of Syrian Cotton in de Gelderlander, de Stentor and Algemene Dagblad
Read about how Moataz Aouf and Mohammad Kuba manage to revive tradition and craftsmanship from the Netherlands.
Dutch startup Uprent secures €200K pre-seed funding to transform rental searches with AI
This investment will allow us to accelerate our growth and bring our vision to life — help as many people as possible find rentals quickly
Forward•Inc Festival 2024
On June 20th, Forward•Inc hosted our very first Forward•Inc Festival!
Shadi Alhakimi’s Road to Success: From Refugee to CEO of Taaly
Read all about Forward•Inc alumnus Shadi Alhakimi’s journey of success and the development of his language-learning app, Taaly

