The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is one of the most digitally-connected regions in the world, with an average of 88% of its population online daily. This connectivity, driven by the high mobile penetration in the region, has resulted in an increasing number of young people opting to work in smaller entities as opposed to larger corporations. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report 2017, the concept of ‘going it alone’ is highly regarded, with more and more people viewing it as a serious career option. In Egypt – one of the biggest entrepreneurship hubs in the region next to UAE, for instance – 83% view it as a viable career choice.
Granted, while the region still lags behind its US and European counterparts, it’s important to note that investments in startups are nearing 1$ billion, according to MAGNiTT, a platform that tracks and provides insights on MENA startups – a noticeable increase from previous years.
For a startup on the rise, there are challenges and obstacles to be overcome. Funding aside, many need resources and knowledge to develop and grow. One way of reducing costs is skipping the big office – co-working spaces are flexible, inexpensive and increasingly the choice young entrepreneurs are making for their businesses.
LOCATION, LOCATION
Egypt’s AlMaqarr launched when a group of entrepreneurs realised that many startups don’t have a place of their own and those that do suffer the hassle of looking for a suitable one and end up spending a lot of money doing so.
“We've always had this gap of not finding a good place to work from, not only for a physical facility with everything we need, but also to be among a like-minded people who can help us go the extra mile,” says co-founder and CEO Muhammad Nagi.
The company provides everything a startup needs – from meeting spaces to event venues, as well as reliable internet access. Plans suit most budgets; with meeting rooms starting from EGP 90 per hour, while full memberships start from EGP 850 per month for a shared desk.
”We are fully integrated in the Egyptian entrepreneurship ecosystem, which enables us to always bring growth opportunities for our business and our startups. We also connect our members to resources, recruiters, talents, investors, support organizations, and anything they might need.”
For Nagi, it’s not only about the service or the product; it’s more importantly about creating an active community of enthusiastic entrepreneurs willing and able to help one another grow.
“For us, it's all about the community and not the space. We just need everyone to get out of their closed rooms and start knowing more people, talking to everyone around, building new deep relationships, reflecting on their projects, giving support in whatever they can, and finally collaborating with each other for a bigger impact,” he adds.
Over in Lebanon, Antwork connects communities by providing them with tools to manage and monetise resources. Founder and CEO Zina Bdeir elaborates: “Antwork is disrupting the way work is done, by eliminating the need for dedicated physical space and investment in tools, equipment, and proprietary services.”
Like AlMaqarr, Antwork was designed with a focus on the community that strives on synergy, teamwork, and diversity. It is home to PR agencies, eCommerce startups, tech startups, data analysts, creative agencies, agribusinesses, and even human rights groups. Basic memberships start from $29 per month.
“What’s remarkable to witness is how resident companies and tenants are puzzling up together to work on the same project or several ones. This not only amplifies their windows of opportunity, but also completely shatters the concept of company competition and shifts into company complementation,” Bdeir adds.
With a belief that there’s no better opportunity to meet a potential partner, lead or employee/employer than to engage in activities together, Antwork has various programmes meant to cater to different backgrounds and interests.
“We host an average of 15 events per month like workshops, conferences and networking events,” says Bdeir. Events include a focus on wellness, art, technology and digital marketing.
ALL AROUND THE REGION
There are several other spaces in the region playing similar roles in their respective countries. For example, Upscale, in Saudi Arabia, offers a vast scope of services aimed to aid startups and small businesses, including a business and consultancy arm, digital media department, startup and SME accelerator, branding and design services, and more. In the UAE, Letswork is a collective of co-working spaces across Dubai. But instead of being their own buildings/spaces, they provide space in restaurants and hotels around the city. Cogite is another co-working space, this time in Tunisia, that has a vibrant community and offers workspaces with cheap prices for as little as $8 for a full-day pass. The place also offers a beautiful garden and even a pool, making it quite a relaxing venue to get some work done.
The message is clear – young people in MENA today are finding the space they need to thrive in a new style of collaborative, collective work environment.