This contributed volume explores and reveals the dynamics, strengths and weaknesses, trends and implications of entrepreneurship in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Presenting papers by respected experts in the field, it shares essential insights on the status quo of entrepreneurship and the opportunities and threats it faces in the MENA region. Topics range from development of entrepreneurial universities to international entrepreneurship, as well as emergent topics such as green entrepreneurship, sustainable entrepreneurship and youth entrepreneurship.

"Ecosystem Arabia is a must read for understanding what actually goes into the making of a robust startup and tech ecosystem. It provides a real-life snapshot into such an evolution in the Arab world. It offers valuable insights from leading global experts on this critical and timely universal topic, as well as a blueprint for how nations can more effectively foster innovation and prosperity." --KLAUS SCHWAB, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum and Author of The Fourth Industrial Revolution "Ecosystem Arabia does a remarkable job of enforcing my findings in Startup Communities and providing a well-rounded case study of the Middle East and North Africa region or "MENA." It's an invaluable resource to ecosystem participants anywhere." --Brad Feld, Co-Founder of Techstars and Foundry Group, and Author of Startup Communities: Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Your City Ecosystem Arabia captures the perspectives, insights, and ideas of over 100 of the most influential international thought leaders and experts on developing thriving startup and tech ecosystems, as well as some of the most prominent public and private figures in the Arab world. Through hundreds of hours of one-on-one interviews with key stakeholders--including global and local leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, incubators, accelerators, service providers, media professionals, educators, policy-makers, and ministers--it distills the key drivers of building a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem anywhere. Amir Hegazi uses the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as his research laboratory and case study of a thriving ecosystem in the making. His underlying findings, however, can be used in any environment to drive innovation and transformation. Overall, this book provides a principled, well-structured, and practical approach to seeing and navigating such a complex topic using a comprehensive, multi-lens perspective that is unlike common methods. Ecosystem Arabia provides a comprehensive blueprint of how communities, cities, and countries can approach nurturing and growing their own new, knowledge-based economies. Whether you're a global-minded entrepreneur or investor interested in tapping opportunities in MENA; an educator or policy-maker seeking a more holistic understanding of the inner workings of ecosystem development; or an ecosystem builder looking to be more impactful--this book is for you.

This contributed volume explores and reveals the new developments, dynamics and recommendations for entrepreneurship education in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Presenting papers by respected experts in the field, it shares essential insights on the status quo of entrepreneurial education and training programs, the characteristics and motivations of early stage entrepreneurs, and the regional framework conditions in MENA. The book closes with a bibliometric perspective on the trends in the entrepreneurship research and education being developed in MENA.

Entrepreneurial Rise in the Middle East and North Africa: The Influence of Quadruple Helix on Technological Innovation explores the relationships and inter-dependencies between innovation, political regimes, and economic and social development throughout the Middle East and North Africa region.

This two-volume book unveils trends, strengths, weaknesses and overall dynamics and implications of social entrepreneurship in the Middle East region, whilst identifying both opportunities and threats facing social entrepreneurship and supplements through a wealth of insights and examples inspired from practice and current applications.

The commonly held perception is that businesses owned by women in the Middle East and North Africa are small and informal, that they're less sophisticated, and that they're huddled in low-value-added sectors. In fact, as The Environment for Women's Entrepreneurship in the Middle East and North Africa shows, there is very little difference between mail- and female-owned firms. Female-owned firms in the region are as well-established, productive, technologically savvy, and connected to global markets as male-owned firms. Although there are many similar characteristics and performance levels between male- and female-owned firms in the region, the book notes that women's entrepreneurship isn't reaching its potential, despite an investment climate that is much less gendered than suspected. With a significant increase in women's education level-in 11 out of 18 countries in the region women outnumber men in universities-and the strong economic rights women have in Islam, women's entrepreneurship can become a far greater engine for growth and diversification than expected in the past. This potential needs to be exploited vigorously. Reforming the investment climate to benefit all players is one important action. The second would be to remove or mitigate hurdles to their economic and social empowerment.

Straddling North Africa and Western Asia, the Middle East has been a cradle of civilisation and entrepreneurship — well before the arrival of Islam. In this region, gender roles were traditionally specified by culture, with women often expected to stay within the family environment, while men would trade in society at large. This book contributes to the literature on a highly neglected field of study: women entrepreneurs in the Middle East. Recognising that entrepreneurship does not take place in a vacuum, it focuses on contexts, and the ecosystems of this region with largely patriarchal societies, that are influenced by culture, religion, and colonial experience.This book provides readers with a topical analysis of women entrepreneurs in the Middle East on the context, ecosystems, and future perspectives for the region. Authors have presented the reality of 11 countries from the region based on women entrepreneurs' historical backgrounds, challenges, and achievements, as well as the contribution towards economic development in their local/immediate communities and the Middle East at large. Following the country analysis by the authors of each chapter, the editors provide a general assessment of the future of women entrepreneurs in the region by focusing on the current entrepreneurship policy and strategies of various countries in the region. This volume will be an essential reading for anyone researching or working on projects related to women's entrepreneurship and small businesses in the Middle East.