Doushesh, a Syria-based digital classifieds marketplace, has closed a pre-seed funding round in early 2026, marking a notable step forward for the country’s emerging startup ecosystem.
Founded in 2025 by Alaaeddin Zarzour and Zafer Odabashi, Doushesh operates a multi-category online marketplace covering real estate, vehicles, electronics, furniture, jobs, and local services. The platform is built to digitise and organise Syria’s largely informal and fragmented buying and selling environment, offering users a more structured and accessible alternative to traditional channels.
The newly raised capital will be deployed to expand Doushesh’s presence across Syria, while strengthening trust and safety across the platform. Key initiatives include enhanced listing verification, improved transaction reliability, and higher content quality standards aimed at boosting long-term user retention.
Alongside the funding, Doushesh announced a strategic technical partnership with Adnan Khabbaz, who joins the company as Partner and Technical Advisor. Khabbaz brings regional experience in building and scaling large consumer-focused digital platforms and is expected to support the company through its next phase of growth.
Positioned as a local-first, community-driven marketplace, Doushesh prioritises trust, safety, and sustainable growth over aggressive scale. Rather than chasing vanity metrics, the platform is designed around local user behaviour and the realities of Syria’s on-the-ground market dynamics.
Looking ahead to 2026, Doushesh plans to focus on two strategic priorities: expanding user adoption across Syria’s major provinces in a balanced and sustainable way, and further strengthening platform credibility through stricter controls against fake and misleading listings.
By doubling down on verification, trust, and local relevance, Doushesh aims to become Syria’s most reliable and secure digital marketplace for everyday buying and selling.
