The Code Lab

The Code Lab is a hands-on technology education center based in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, dedicated to transforming the way young people engage with technology. Launched in 2023 under Optimal — a software development company with over a decade of regional experience — The Code Lab was built on a simple but powerful belief: that children and young people in Kurdistan deserve more than access to technology. They deserve the skills, confidence, and mindset to create with it.

The Code Lab stands as one of the first organizations in the region to deliver structured AI and technology education to children, with programs recognized by government officials, international organizations, and partner schools across Erbil. Its students have presented their projects at national events including HITEX, MEETS, MIDECO, and TEDx — and many have gone on to pursue technology at a level that would not have been possible without an early start.This is not just an education center. It is a movement.