What Is Next for MENA's Entrepreneurs?

Abstract

region has gained global attention in recent years. Against the backdrop of a shifting political landscape and economic uncertainty, new firms and entrepreneurs are being increasingly cited as a vanguard of economic development. However, if this vibrant population of young businesspeople and the institutions that support their efforts are to make their mark on the region, they must be able not just to start businesses but to scale them as well. To identify the specific factors that impinge on efforts to scale, the Wamda Research Lab conducted the largest study on entrepreneurship and scale in the MENA region to date, which included a survey of over 900 entrepreneurs and experts in the region.