IslamicFinance.de

A new International Finance Corporation (IFC)-supported report by Wamda Research Lab finds that although support for entrepreneurs and start-ups has grown substantially across the Middle East and North Africa, many challenges remain, hindering job creation and economic growth. In Exploring Conditions for Entrepreneurs in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and UAE Wamda surveyed nearly 500 entrepreneurs from the four countries, which have seen the majority of entrepreneurship development initiatives in the region. The report looks at the main trends in entrepreneurship and the challenges entrepreneurs face in growing their businesses. Access to finance is one of the main challenges cited by entrepreneurs in the report.

The Middle East and North Africa is in dire need of entrepreneurial growth and opportunities. However, research from the Wamda Research Lab highlights substantial challenges preventing companies from receiving the funding they need to grow. In the recent report, Enhancing Access: Assessing the Funding Landscape for MENA’s Startups, a sample of 254 companies analyzed that have received equity investment as well as 65 institutions providing funding to entrepreneurs in the region. To capitalize on the region's burgeoning startup community, the supporting ecosystem will need to understand the most appropriate sizes, types and frequency of funding that its most promising companies need.