Transforming Tech Recruitment for Refugees and Disadvantaged Communities
The Hague, Netherlands — Subul, a social enterprise dedicated to bridging the gap between global tech businesses and skilled talents from refugee and disadvantaged communities, has secured a €200,000 investment from Start Foundation. This strategic investment will accelerate Subul’s mission to provide dignified employment opportunities for refugees and disadvantaged individuals in the Middle East and Europe.
Founded by Syrian refugees Khaled Shaaban and Ousama Sulaiman, Subul is headquartered in The Hague and has successfully placed over 600 tech talents from refugee communities into jobs across Europe. By leveraging their expertise in outsourcing and connecting tech professionals to employment opportunities commensurate with their skill sets, Subul creates pathways towards economic inclusion and social transformation.
An inspiring feature in Het Financieele Dagblad, the Netherlands’ leading financial newspaper, played a crucial role in connecting Subul with Start Foundation. This connection exemplifies how media platforms can drive social change by spotlighting innovative solutions and reshaping public perception of what is truly possible.
Start Foundation: A Catalyst for Inclusive Employment
Start Foundation is a Netherlands-based nonprofit dedicated to developing and accelerating groundbreaking initiatives that remove barriers to employment. With over 25 years of experience, the foundation focuses on innovative solutions that create sustainable work opportunities for individuals who struggle to access the labor market. Recognizing Subul’s potential to revolutionize impact hiring and global recruitment, Start Foundation has provided ongoing strategic support to refine and scale Subul’s operations. Joske Paumen, director of Start Foundation says, "This is exactly the kind of accelerator that we love at Start Foundation. Entrepreneurs who, driven by personal experience and armed with guts and solid entrepreneurship, help create job opportunities for people in the most impossible situations." This investment marks a significant step toward creating a more inclusive and diverse tech industry.
Pioneering the Future of Tech Recruitment
With this investment, Subul is launching an AI-powered recruitment platform, creating a one-day hiring solution that will streamline tech recruitment for businesses worldwide. This innovation will revolutionize impact hiring by making recruitment more efficient and inclusive by connecting highly skilled refugee tech talent to the global tech market demand. The investment will enable Subul to expand its talent pool and deepen its social impact to further empower skilled professionals in underserved communities.
“This partnership reflects two things that deeply moved me. First, the openness and inclusivity of the Dutch ecosystem—where an organization like Start Foundation doesn’t hesitate to support someone unknown, arriving from overseas, simply because they believe in the mission. Second, it is a testament to what I call ‘smart impact investing.’ Instead of imposing rigid expectations, Start Foundation stood by us unconditionally, providing the trust and resources we needed to reach this stage.” Khaled Shaaban - Subul’s Founder
With this investment and the support from Start Foundation and media allies like Het Financieele Dagblad, Subul is poised to lead a new era in global tech recruitment, ensuring that refugee and disadvantaged tech professionals have access to meaningful employment worldwide.
