To be eligible for support under this program, you must meet the following criteria: 

After potential beneficiary firms have passed the initial eligibility criteria, further evaluation of their applications, based on selection criteria, will be conducted to decide if they are admitted to or rejected from the program. 

Student Internships Stipend Window Selection Criteria  

 1. Firms should provide evidence they have growth potential and a commercially sound business plan, including company vision, workforce expansion plan and can showcase the use of the student intern in their business development activities.

2. Firms have experienced and complementary leadership and a management team with the right skills and personal strengths

3. Firms should have a solid and targeted training/ internship plan and scope of work for student-interns; students must be in their final two years at university planning to graduate with an IT related degree to qualify.

4. Firms should provide the list of proposed student interns that passed the company interview

5. The position(s) requested is/are aligned with the listed skills/ technologies mentioned in Appendix 1. 

The following are the selection criteria for the proposed trainees under the Student Internships Stipend Window:

1. Students must be currently enrolled in an accredited Palestinian University in West Bank or Gaza in their final two years at university planning to graduate with an IT related degree to qualify, with enough time for training prior to graduation, as the stipend coverage will not continue beyond the date of graduation.

2. Students must not be immediate family members for the owner/manager or an immediate family member for the spouse of the owner/manager of the IT firm. Immediate family members include: spouse, child, niece/nephew, parent, siblings, grandchild, in-laws.  

 

Train-to-Hire Stipend Window Selection Criteria  

  

On-the-job Training Stipend Window Selection Criteria  

 1. Firms should provide evidence that they have growth potential and a commercially sound business plan, including company vision, workforce expansion plan and can showcase the use of the resource in their business development activities.

2. Firms have experienced and complementary leadership and a management team with the right skills and personal strengths

3. Firms applying must have a Letter of Intent (LOI) or similar from the international client stating the need for number of trainees and the skills that they will be trained.

4. Firms must show evidence (as part of the LOI) that the proposed trainees specified in their application have been approved by the International client; trainees need to be new hires without a current local full time job and with an IT-related degree / STEM degree relevant to IT sector or an IT certification / diploma / training

5. Firms should present a brief plan mutually agreed with the international client for the scope of the assignment, the specific technology required, the number of trainees and the duration of the assignment/ training

6. The position(s) requested is aligned with the listed skills/ technologies mentioned in Appendix 1.

The following are the selection criteria for the proposed trainees under the On-the-Job Training Stipend Window:

1. Proposed trainees must have an IT-related degree / STEM degree relevant to IT sector or an IT certification / diploma / training

2. Proposed trainees must not be currently full-time employees at the company or any other company

3. Proposed trainees need to be trained either on a new technology or an advanced level of a technology they already possess

4. Proposed trainees must not be previously covered in the Student Internship or Trainto-Hire Stipends within the same company

5. Trainees must not be immediate family members for the owner/manager or an immediate family member for the spouse of the owner/manager of the IT firm. Immediate family members include: spouse, child, niece/nephew, parent, siblings, grandchild, in-laws. 

Expatriates & DiasporaStipend Window Selection Criteria  

The application window for the UPSKILL program will be open for the operational duration of the TechStart project, starting in Q1 2022, and applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis. 

Applications will be processed on a rolling basis and evaluated based on eligibility and selection criteria. After potential beneficiary firms have passed the initial eligibility criteria, further evaluation of their applications, based on selection criteria, will be conducted to decide if they are admitted to or rejected from the program. *Please refer to each window specific eligibility and selection criteria.

Once the Evaluation Committee decides, applicants will be formally notified by TechStart as per the main contact person referenced in the application form 

For employee salary compensation support, USD bank accounts are required for all employees of beneficiary firms who are receiving salary compensation support. Other types of support do not require bank accounts.

No. The program does not cover company registration fees for firms. However, Techstart may provide technical support to eligible firms needing assistance in registration with MONE. 

No. The program does impose restrictions on location of employees to be within the West Bank and Gaza. Consultants are not considered employees of the company, and therefore are not covered under this support

 The program will cover up stipends as following:

Beneficiary firms acknowledge that the stipends paid on behalf of them to their employees are the employee’s entitlement and at no time shall the firms request or require any portion of these payments returned to the beneficiary firm. Failure to abide by this will result in immediate termination of the support and immediate request of refunding of all funds made available to the beneficiary firms. 

Disbursement of funds for salaries occur monthly and each beneficiary will be informed of the required documents that must be submitted and approved prior to the fund disbursement. These funds will be transferred directly to the bank accounts of the individual employees. 

Please refer to the diagram in Appendix 1 that shows the acceptable types of IT services / Technologies eligible under TechStart Upskill Program. 

Being a recipient of previous grants and/ or support programs does not disqualify your firm from receiving assistance through this program. When you apply, please mention the other support you are receiving or have received in the “Other Support” section of the application. 

A representative who can certify the authenticity of the information provided and is legally authorized to sign on behalf of the applicant may apply on behalf of the firm. 

. 

No. If you have already applied and were awarded a stipend for any of the windows, and you want to apply for a second time, you need to contact us directly and we will guide you on the next steps. 

All applications must be submitted online through the following application link: https://fs20.formsite.com/DAIForms/smr0etmskv/index.html 

Yes, a company can apply again for the same stipend after the first stipend is completed, and there were no issues or problems reported. 

It is the responsibility of the applicant company to recruit students/trainees/expats. 

The applicant should hear feedback on their application within 7 weeks of submitting their application.  

If the company/application is awarded the grant, the stipends for the approved trainees will be disbursed starting from the grant signature date, and no retroactive stipend payments will be disbursed from the date of application submission. 

No, each company should be legally registered, and operating out of the West Bank and Gaza; or in the process of legal registration; or committed to register with Ministry of National Economy in the West Bank. 

Yes, they are eligible to apply if they are registered or willing to register with the Ministry of National Economy in the West Bank. 

No, the company should be an IT services company or business service provider working in the technology field in software development, computer programming and consultancy, data processing, hosting or related activities, or mature tech / tech-enabled startups that have some traction in the market and are already generating revenues. 

No, the company should be an IT services company or business service provider working in the technology field in software development, computer programming and consultancy, data processing, hosting or related activities, or mature tech / tech-enabled startups that have some traction in the market and are already generating revenues. Hardware resellers are not eligible. 

Yes, the company can add new trainees / students to an already signed agreement. Contact us at [email protected] and we will provide you with instructions on next steps. 

Yes, the UpSkill program aims to help upgrading the skills of the Palestinian IT service workforce only. 

 No, beneficiaries shall not be an immediate family member of the owner/manager or an immediate family member of the spouse of the owner/manager of the IT firm. Immediate family members include spouse, child, niece/nephew, parent, siblings, grandchild, in-laws. 

Generally training should be conducted inside the company, however applicant companies need to justify why the training is needed to be conducted remotely before a decision of award can be taken. 

We request specific information about the management of the company including the CEO and senior management. 

The Project will end in October 20285, funding for the stipends will stop before that date, however, calls for last chance to apply will be announced subject to fund. Companies are encouraged to apply when they are ready. 

• There can only be one application per company submitted. 

•  All information provided in the application must be true and accurate. 
• All applications including information and documentation must be submitted in English. Documentation such as: employment contracts, company registrations, tax files, and other government-issued documents are acceptable in Arabic. 
• Only applications submitted via the program’s online portal will be considered. 
• All application supporting material must be uploaded to the relevant section of the online portal (no hard copies will be accepted). 
• Only complete applications will be considered for eligibility 

• Uploaded Documents: 

>The applicant firms may be asked to revise or provide additional information to their application by DAI representatives. 

>Applicants are solely responsible for all relevant required documents to be uploaded in the appropriate sections of online portal.

*Failing to satisfy any of the above requirements can lead to the application being rejected. 

If your questions or concerns are not answered in the FAQs or the Overview sections of the program, please navigate through Contact Us section or contact us by email at: 

 [email protected] 

No, this stipend will be available for students in their last 2 years of university studies, who need to gain knowledge and practical skills in mid-level or advanced-level value added IT service.  

No, the companies applying to this window are not limited with the number of students they can apply for.  

The proposed internship is going to be part-time. Time-management should be arranged between the company and the intern.  

Student interns are paid up to $500 monthly for the duration of the stipend grant.  

The list of interns should include the accepted candidates only. If the company wishes to make any further changes on the list, they should contact DAI/TechStart prior to signing the agreement. 

 The goal of training is to provide students with valuable experience to get hired. If they did not end up getting hired, they will still be qualified candidates for a job in another place.  

The internship period for this stipend can be up to 24 months.  

The coverage for this stipend can be up to $500 per intern, including allowance and transportation. 

 No, interns just must be students in their last 2 years of university studies, regardless of age.  

No, we only accept graduates with IT-related studies.  

The employees benefitting from this program must be newly hired, without a current local fulltime job. There will be measures to verify that the employees are not current ones.  

There is no limit to how many trainees each company can have based on the needs of the company, each case will be studied separately, and a decision will be made by DAI/TechStart.  

The training period for this stipend can be up to 6 months.  

For Train-to-hire Stipend Window, the co-financing percentage will depend on the financial situation of the firm, growth potential, and business proposals. Firms will contribute 20- 50% of trainee remuneration + income tax, benefits. For smaller firms (less than 20 full-time employees), and firms that are based in Gaza, lower co-financing will be required. For women trainees or women-managed companies, the company will need to contribute only 20 percent to 30 percent within the train-to-hire stipend window.  

The coverage for this stipend can be up to $1200 subject to co-financing criteria and according to proven market value or previous pay history. 

They can be recent IT graduates or previously employed youth that are currently without a job.  

No, they can be considered for the Student Internship Stipend and benefit from it for up to the graduation of the student only. After graduation, they can be considered for the Train-to-Hire Stipend if the company reapplies for this window. 

Yes, however they need to provide a proof of graduation/completion of their university studies.  

If the candidate has relevant experience that would add value to the company, and if the international client approves the selection of the candidate, then DAI/TechStart will study the case and decide accordingly. 

No, the candidates should be working solely for the beneficiary company. 

The training period for the on-the-job stipend can be up to 12 months.  

This stipend covers the full base salary (excluding income tax) of the employee if provided that they are not being paid a salary by the international client. The stipend amount will be determined based on current market value for position or technical skill, candidate experience, and technology / project complexity. 

We encourage companies to hire new unemployed candidates, the goal of the program is to create new employment opportunities in the market and decrease unemployment rates.  

There is no limit to the number of trainees if the international client has approved all of them. Currently, there is a limit of one (1) international client that you can apply to work with. If you want to apply for additional international clients, please contact us at [email protected]. 

Firms can apply for as many international clients as you have interest/ Letter of Intent, and you are ready to submit required documents as per application. Since the online form was designed to receive an application for one (1) international client, a separate application should be opened for another international client, with a separate list of trainees and other documents specific to the second client (training plan and skills agreed with international client, etc.). 

Local and foreign IT companies/ entrepreneurs that are in the process of establishing new IT companies/ branches/ subsidiaries and operations in West Bank and Gaza, including mature tech and tech enabled start-ups. Firms are considered mature tech or tech enabled start-ups if they can prove traction / demand in the market and are generating revenues. IT services provided may include software publishing, computer programming, consultancy, data processing, hosting, HR IT and training, or related activities. 

*All companies must comply with the guidelines of TechStart’s Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF).  

Companies can apply to benefit from the grants they need under the PIONEER Program. Each applicant will be evaluated based on the general eligibility criteria, in addition to the specific selection criteria for each grant window that they apply for.  

 

Firm Eligibility Criteria: 

Each applicant applying to this program must meet all the following eligibility criteria to be considered for further evaluation:  

1.  Be a company legally registered, and operating out of the West Bank and Gaza; or in the process of legal registration; or committed to register with Ministry of National Economy 

2. Foreign entities / entrepreneurs willing to establish new entities will commit to register with the Ministry of National Economy.  

3. Firms are IT services companies and business service providers working in the technology field in software development, computer programming and consultancy, data processing, hosting or related activities, IT training services providers, HR services providers for IT sector; or are mature tech / tech-enabled start-ups1 that have traction in the market and are already generating revenues.  

4. Applicants for Grant Window “New IT training service providers” are required to  

• establish new IT training service companies in West Bank or, in case of a local firm partnering with an international training service provider, the local training firm should be in operation for less than one year before the date of application.  
• commit to train for the benefit of the IT sector/ other companies and provide MoUs with other companies or PITA, on the engagement model. 

5. Applicants for Grant window “Upgrading IT business infrastructure” are required to be in operation for at least one year before the date of application.  

6. Projects have minimal or non-existent environmental impacts.  

Selection Criteria  

After potential Beneficiaries pass the initial eligibility criteria, to be admitted in the specific program windows, an evaluation of their application against the selection criteria will be conducted for each window they applied to:  

“New IT services operations” Selection Criteria  

1. Applicants, firms, or individual entrepreneurs, need to demonstrate a track record of at least three years of cumulative experience providing the relevant services on a commercial basis to local or international clients.  

2. The applicants must provide a Business Plan that will include comprehensive information about the business model, market analysis, proposed organization and management, marketing plan, financial model and growth potential.  

“Establishing New IT Training service providers” Selection Criteria 

 1. Applicants need to provide a Business Plan that will include comprehensive information about a commercially suitable business and financial model, market analysis, proposed organization and management, marketing plan, and growth potential. 

 2. Applicants (or their international partners) will need to demonstrate that they already have international presence and a global track record of getting trainees in technology fields employed by local or international companies.  

3. Applicants will need to provide a comprehensive training plan for 1st year of operations, that include an in-person training and/or a hybrid module of online and in-person (training plans relying 1 Firms are considered mature tech or tech enabled startups if they can prove traction / demand in the market and are generating revenues only on online modules will not be considered). The training plans should also include information about full/part time trainers and curriculum provided.  

4. IT training service providers need to provide training in medium and advanced value-added services/ technologies. 

“New HR service providers for IT sector” Selection Criteria  

1. Applicants need to provide a Business Plan that will include comprehensive information about a commercially suitable business and financial model, market analysis, proposed organization and management, marketing plan, and growth potential.  

2. HR service providers will need to demonstrate that they have modern HR IT recruitment best practices, technology, databases, psychological selection tools, or candidate management practices to bring them to the Palestinian market.  

3. Applicants need to demonstrate that they have a track record of streamlining applicants and recruiting IT employees for the IT sector internationally.  

“Upgrading IT business infrastructure” Selection Criteria  

1. Applicants need to provide a Business Plan that will include comprehensive information about the business model, market analysis, proposed organization and management, marketing plan, financial model, and growth potential.  

2. Beneficiary firms will need to demonstrate in their proposals that their ability to fulfil client demands is affected by under resourced business infrastructure capacity.  

* Only existing firms can apply for this grant; newly established firms which benefited from the other seed grants of the PIONEER program/ windows will be eligible to apply for basic infrastructure grant only after one year of operations, based on demonstrated business needs to scale. 

Legal technical assistance will be available to local and foreign companies to support them to register new companies, subsidiaries, branches in West Bank. Registration fees at MoNE need to be covered by the firms.  

 For successful Applicants who are awarded In-Kind grants, TechStart will procure the services on behalf of beneficiaries in accordance with the agreed upon budget and set milestones. For successful Applicants who are awarded Standard Grants, the beneficiary will procure the service in accordance with TechStart procurement rules and regulations which will be provided to the beneficiary, and their related staff will be trained on using them to ensure compliance with TechStart rules and regulations.  

Being a recipient of previous grants and/ or support programs does not disqualify your firm from receiving assistance through this program.  

A representative who can certify the authenticity of the information provided and is legally authorized to sign on behalf of the applicant may apply on behalf of the firm.  

Only one application per entity will be reviewed at one time. Duplicate applications will immediately disqualify the applicant. If further information is required, you will be contacted by a TechStart and representative for the clarification needed. If you believe you need to modify any crucial information, or have made an error in your application, please contact us strictly by email providing the reason for your request (do not submit a new application). Moreover, TechStart shall be entitled, at its sole discretion, to accept or reject any request(s) placed for that modification, unless the modification has already been received/availed by a TechStart representative. 

All applications must be submitted through the following link: https://fs20.formsite.com/DAIForms/np9dh3xik0/form_login.html 

 While completing the online application, applicants should consider the following:  

1. All information provided in the application must be true and accurate. 

2. All applications, including information and documentation, must be submitted in English. Documentation such as: lease agreements, employment contracts, company registrations, tax files, and other government-issued documents are acceptable in Arabic.  

3. Only applications submitted via the program’s online portal will be considered. 

4. All application supporting material must be uploaded to the relevant section of the online portal (no hard copies will be accepted).  

5. Only complete applications that have all required supporting documents will be considered for selection.  

6. Uploaded Documents:  

• The applicant may be asked to revise or provide additional information to their application by TechStart team within a given timeline. 
• Applicants are solely responsible for all relevant documents being uploaded in the appropriate sections of the online portal.  

*Failing to satisfy any of the above requirements can lead to the application being rejected

If your question or concern is not answered in the FAQs, please contact us by email at [email protected] 

The applicant should hear feedback on their application within 7 weeks.  

The 7 weeks period is intended to be a maximum period for an applicant to receive a final decision on their application. However, this can fluctuate based on the case of each application, as further documentation may be requested if needed.  

No, each company should be legally registered, and operating out of the West Bank and Gaza; or in the process of legal registration; or committed to register with Ministry of National Economy in the West Bank.  

Yes, they are eligible to apply if they are registered or willing to register with the Ministry of National Economy in the West Bank.  

No, the company should be an IT services company or business service provider working in the technology field in software development, computer programming and consultancy, data processing, hosting or related activities, or mature tech / tech-enabled startups that have some traction in the market and are already generating revenues. Hardware resellers are not eligible.  

Companies applying to PIONEER program must be legally registered or in the process of legal registration; or committed to register with Ministry of National Economy.  

The international partner must be a company specialized in the field. For example, an advanced technical technology training company or a company specialized in human resources in the field of technologies with experience in the same field globally. 

No, according to the program’s ESMF guidelines, TechStart does not support this item.  

No, with the description of each of the windows under Pioneer, it is not expected that an applicant can apply for more than one window at the same time, because each has their own specific requirements, specialization, and target group.  

There is no deadline. Companies can apply anytime, based on their needs, throughout the Project’s lifetime subject to fund availability.  

If the company is in the field of IT and meets the eligibility and selection criteria, then it can apply, and their application will be assessed accordingly. 

The eligibility criteria do not exclude companies who have received previous support but for current beneficiaries, applicant need to state the support they are receiving, and this will be assessed by the project team to avoid supporting any item that has been already supported. 

Labor costs (salaries) and fees associated with delivery/on-going execution of core business functions are covered under this grant window and can be covered on the condition that all required documentation is provided, and Environmental and Social Management Framework requirements are met.  

What is meant by target threshold in the New IT Training Service Providers Window? 

The funding in this window will support the cost of the trainings based on results, during a maximum two-year launch period. Results will include a mix of outputs and outcomes, as detailed below: 

 a. 80% of the training cost will be based on the actual number of trainees who benefited from the training provided against the planned number; the amount will be disbursed according to the grant agreement.  

 b. 10% of the training cost will be disbursed based on the number of trainees who secured employment in the six months following the training and for a period of at least six months.  

c. The remaining 10% will be disbursed based on the number of women who gained employment in a six-month period following the training. Note: Achieving 75% percent of the agreed target for employment (points 1and 2) will entitle the applicant to get a full reimbursement of the remaining 10% percentage/training costs. Achieving less than 75% will be calculated based on the actual percentage scored.  

Please Check the following link for more info  

https://www.techstart.ps/en/Article/126/Grant-window-2-New-IT-training-service-providers  

The company can apply if it meets the grant's eligibility and selection requirements and is getting in partnership/collaboration with an international training service provider that already has a validated business model and an international track record of getting trainees employed by international companies. The company needs to provide commitment letters/MOUs/evidence to ensure that the training is provided for the benefit of the IT sector as a whole and not specific companies. Will companies receive financial coverage by TechStart only after meeting the desired training goals or is it possible to get the grant before then? The grant window supports two types of costs financially:  

• Initial operational costs that are usually disbursed according to the budget and the grant agreement for setting up the new company.  
• Training costs that can be disbursed only if predefined training goals are achieved.  

Is the company still eligible if it provides trainings in different fields besides IT?  

Any training company that is specialized in providing Mid/ High technology trainings as its main line of business can apply to the Pioneer Program. 

We expect the applicant to provide a detailed business plan and detailed training plan as requested in the application, and the grant amount will be decided based on total trainings costs and the initial operational costs submitted in the budget. 

HR service providers for the IT sector are firms that specialize in delivering HR services to the IT market, and these services can include the efficient management of employment, modern recruitment best practices, technology, databases, psychological selection tools, or candidate management practices starting from recruitment all the way to termination.  

In this window, the grant can cover the following expenses (as an example), on the condition that evidence to prove the business need is provided, and eligibility and selection requirements are met.  

1. Technology, Office equipment, and office appliances may include:  

 a. Laptops, routers, switches, links and highspeed internet connection equipment.  

 b. Collaboration tools like (Zoom, office 365 including MS team, etc.), and cloud applications licensing such as (Amazon AWS, and Google cloud applications).  

 c. Leasing or acquisition of photocopiers, printers, projectors, etc. in addition to basic office furniture (desks, chairs, etc.) 

Other tools/Licenses that helps the service or the product development of the company backed by evidence of such needs

Beneficiary firms will need to demonstrate in their proposals that their ability to fulfil client demands is affected by improper business infrastructure capacity.

The grant can cover such expenses on the condition that the company can prove/ justify how the requested service can help the company better serve its clients, and compliance requirements are met.