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Hekma Jabouli and her sister Ghazal were in their apartment in Damascus when their home was destroyed during the war in Syria in 2018. Ghazal, a twelve-year-old gymnast at the time, was injured resulting in her having to live with Paraplegia. In the aftermath, as she was supporting her sister to deal with her newfound disability, Hekma was about to graduate as a Medical Engineer from Damascus University, she started working on an Exoskeleton for her sister so she could regain some of her lost mobility.
“The saying goes that from the womb of pain, hope is born,” Hekma says.
From there, an idea for a social enterprise was born. In collaboration with her colleague Computer Systems Engineer Mohammad Awad, the duo started developing their prototype for exoskeletons to help Ghazal and others like her who carry the traumas of war on their bodies.
An exoskeleton is a robotic device that works through an app or a remote control that can help people with disabilities regain functions such as standing, and walking and also plays a role in rehabilitative physiotherapy.
“The first challenge we faced when creating the prototype was to find the parts. Due to the unavailability of imports, we had to get creative,” Mohammad says. “We were 3D printing mechanical parts we needed or even taking parts from cars or other machines to be able to build our prototype.”
Learning the Ropes
After initial prototyping with Ghazal’s help who gave the team feedback on the Exoskeleton prototype ET1 as they went, along with feedback from professionals in the medical field at Damascus University, ExoTech obtained their first Patent in Syria and later another innovation patent from Geneva.
It was during this time that the team participated in Jusoor’s Startup Roadshow 4. With no prior business experience or formal business education, the team found the project pushed them forward.
“I learned more during SR4 than any formal education I received my whole life,” Mohammed Awad says. “It’s so valuable to be applying as you’re learning, it was such a practical approach to business education.”
Hekma and Mohamed found the trainers top-notch and supported them in developing their business plan and their ability to present themselves culminating in ExoTech winning first place in the Lebanon Demo Day.
Next Steps
As they develop their latest Exoskeleton using carbon fiber to make it lightweight as well as develop the system to make it as user-friendly as they can, they are also working to establish their company in the United Arab Emirates. This will enable them to access the highest-quality investors as well as access global markets.
With their added value as a company being that their devices are lighter and more affordable than their competitors globally, their ultimate dream is to make their Exoskeletons available for all those who need them, in Syria and elsewhere.
Their relationship with Jusoor is far from over though, Hekma is one of the five women business leaders who were selected to participate in Championing Women in Business Leadership, a program launched under the Entrepreneurship Program in 2023.
As for Ghazal, Hekma’s sister, who for now is the only one benefiting from their Exoskeleton since it’s not officially on the market yet, she is now able to stand and walk with their prototype, unassisted. Now 17 years old, she found her new talent after gymnastics, which is painting. She publishes her work on social media and is looking forward to a future career as an artist.
