New Research: Syrian Entrepreneurs Are Already Rebuilding. Here's How We Can Help.
New Research: Syrian Entrepreneurs Are Already Rebuilding. Here's How We Can Help.
May 31, 2026 | Navar Maarri
The fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 set something in motion that numbers are only beginning to capture. Across Türkiye, home to the world's largest Syrian refugee population, entrepreneurs are making decisions about their businesses, their families, and their futures right now.
Building Markets surveyed 704 Syrian SME owners in Türkiye this spring, and the findings are striking. Nearly one in five has already relocated to Syria. Half have visited Syria to assess conditions. More than half have already reached out to potential business partners. This community of entrepreneurs is actively building toward what comes next.
What's equally compelling is how they're approaching it. Rather than simply packing up and leaving Türkiye, many entrepreneurs are building bridges between the two markets, maintaining operations in Türkiye while opening branches, investing capital, and hiring employees in Syria. They are becoming important actors in Syria's economic recovery.
But they can't do it alone. Access to finance ranks as both the most urgent support need and the weakest dimension of Syria's current business environment. Entrepreneurs are also calling for better market connections, legal guidance on cross-border trade, and clearer pathways to register and operate businesses in Syria.
The window to make a difference is open. Donors and investors who move now will meet entrepreneurs at the moment of decision, helping to shape Syria's rebuilding from the ground up.
Read the full report to see what Syrian entrepreneurs need, what they're already doing, and how donors can help translate that momentum into lasting impact.
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Syrian Entrepreneurs Are Already Rebuilding. Here's How We Can Help.
Since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Syrian entrepreneurs in Türkiye have been making decisions about their businesses, their families, and their futures.
This spring, Building Markets Türkiye surveyed 704 Syrian SME owners. Here's what we found:
Nearly 1 in 5 has already relocated to Syria
50% have visited Syria to assess business conditions
52% have already contacted potential partners in Syria
54% plan to open a branch in Syria
Syrian entrepreneurs are building across both countries simultaneously, maintaining operations in Türkiye while investing in Syria's future.
But barriers remain. Access to finance is the single biggest gap, followed by unreliable infrastructure, security uncertainty, and a lack of clear regulatory pathways.
The opportunity for donors and investors is real and time-sensitive. Those who show up now will help shape what Syria's economic recovery actually looks like.
We've just published our full report. Read it here.
