Factors affecting startups survival in the Mena region in the presence of COVID19

Abstract

A great percentage of the world economy is driven by entrepreneurs, start-ups and Small - and Medium - sized Enterprises (SMEs), as they are the driving forces of economic stability. This paper attempts to gain a full understanding of the environment in which entrepreneurs and SMEs operate; the so-called entrepreneurial ecosystem in MENA region to gather and collect information related to the needs examination on promoting entrepreneurial important criteria with the focus on Specific Region. The methodology proposed follows a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews directed to owners and managers of startups in the MENA region. The process will be to observe, analyze, visualize the entrepreneurial ecosystem, including surrounding criteria’s and factors that effects the startup survival. The proposed ecosystem is then ‘mapped’ to enable to see the gaps and constrains in the ecosystem in the MENA region, and to devise the most relevant measures to energize the ecosystem in MENA region. The proposed methodology and conceptual frame work not only will look at traditional indicators as business environment and investment climate, but also focus on creating optimal ecosystem that is well structured and ready for any unexpected events or occasions, like COVID19, which might have its impact on startups.