Coding
Coding
From Scratch to Python, we teach programming the way it should be learned: by building real things.
About us
A technology education center in Erbil, teaching coding, robotics and AI to young people across Kurdistan since 2023.
Our Story
Built in Kurdistan, for Kurdistan.
The Code Lab launched in August 2023 — in the middle of regional economic uncertainty and without a single dirham of external funding. We started in a 70 m² space with one goal: give young people in Kurdistan the same technology education available anywhere else in the world.
In under two years, we grew from that single room to a three-story, 300 m² learning hub. We trained over 1,300 students, signed 5 official MOUs, built a team of 10 instructors, and delivered programs at HITEX, TEDx, MEETS, and MIDECO.
In under two years, we grew from that single room to a three-story, 300 m² learning hub. We trained over 1,300 students, signed 5 official MOUs, built a team of 10 instructors, and delivered programs at HITEX, TEDx, MEETS, and MIDECO.
2023
Launched in Erbil with one room, one instructor, and a vision.
2024
Expanded to 300 m², signed 5 MOUs, trained 1,300+ students.
2025
Recognized nationally. Growing with purpose.
1,300+
Students
30+
Courses
50+
Workshops
5
Official MOUs
10+
Events
What We Do
Four pillars. One mission.
Robotics
Robotics
Students design, build, and program robots using micro:bit and Arduino. Hardware meets creativity.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence
We make AI approachable for kids and educators alike. Our AI programs have reached 1,300+ students across King's School.
Web Development
Web Development
HTML, CSS, JavaScript — students graduate with a live website they built themselves.
What We Stand For
Our values
🛠
Hands-on
Every student builds something real. No passive learning.
🤝
Inclusive
Open to all ages, all backgrounds, all abilities.
🌍
Local-first
Kurdish, Arabic, and English — in Erbil, for Kurdistan.
🚀
Impact-driven
We measure success in student projects, not certificates.
Our Team
The people behind the lab
Star Dawood
CEO
Satar saw that the region’s challenge wasn’t access to devices but the lack of skills and confidence to use them. Since 2015, his work in building digital systems shaped his vision: a hands-on, student-centered space where kids learn coding, robotics, and AI through doing. He believes empowering children with tech skills sparks change beyond the classroom, reaching families and communities. By blending global best practices with local needs, Satar champions innovation, responsibility, and creativity — driving a cultural shift toward digital transformation in the region.
Rebin M. Ahmed
Program Director
Rebin saw that while young people in Iraq and Kurdistan are surrounded by technology, they often lack the tools and guidance to use it creatively. He helped establish The Code Lab to provide hands-on, age-appropriate courses in coding, robotics, AI, and web development — taught locally and in students’ own language. His vision is inclusive and accessible: from flexible curricula that run on basic devices to programs adapted for students with special needs. Rebin’s long-term goal is embedding digital literacy in national curricula, preparing youth to compete globally.
Huda Farhad
Head of Program
Head of Program
Khanda Mohammed
Head of Marketing and Communications
Head of Marketing and Communications
Dween Hemin
Instructor
Instructor
Nushin Sherzad
Instructor
Instructor
Azheen Qader
Office Manager & Quality Coordinator
Office Manager & Quality Coordinator
Ready to be part of this?
For Students & Families
Enroll your child
Join Kurdistan's most hands-on tech program for ages 5–22.
For Organizations
Partner with us
Schools, NGOs, and sponsors: let's build something together.