MENA-can / Social Entrepreneurship

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP ✦ ECOSYSTEM BUILDING ✦ MENA’S FRAGILE MARKETS

Where Others See Fragility, We See Untapped Potential.

Across underserved and fragile communities in the Middle East and North Africa, people closest to the challenges hold the power to shape lasting change.

MENA-can connects people, strengthens local capacities, and builds entrepreneurial ecosystems where opportunities are too often overlooked.

FRAGILE MARKETS. FERTILE GROUND.

Across the Middle East and North Africa, entrepreneurs are building businesses despite conflict, uncertainty and limited resources. Talent and ambition are not missing. Access to opportunities and long-term support often is. At MENA-can, we help entrepreneurs in overlooked markets build resilient, sustainable businesses. test

LOCAL PROJECT. LASTING IMPACT.

Starting a business is difficult. Keeping it alive and growing is even harder, especially where markets are unpredictable and entrepreneurs have to navigate challenges alone. At MENA-can, we provide hands-on mentoring, practical tools and long-term support to help entrepreneurs build businesses that last.

OPPORTUNITIES GROW WHEN ECOSYSTEMS CONNECT.

Across MENA and the wider Global South, people tackling similar challenges often work in isolation, missing opportunities to share experience, resources and solutions. At MENA-can, we connect entrepreneurs, organisations and ecosystems across borders to share knowledge, build partnerships and open new opportunities.

STRONG ENTREPRENEURS NEEDS STRONG ECOSYSTEMS.

Local organisations understand their communities but often lack the resources, tools and support to sustain their work. At MENA-can, we help incubators, civil society and community media organisations strengthen their models, capabilities and financial sustainability.

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION & AI

Digital tools and AI offer new possibilities, but many entrepreneurs and local organisations lack the skills, resources and support to benefit from them. At MENA-can, we help them adopt digital tools and responsible AI to work smarter, reduce costs and expand their reach.

How We Build Lasting Change

Our
Approach

We don't arrive with ready-made solutions. We start by understanding local realities, identifying existing strengths and listening to those closest to the challenges. Then we co-create practical, locally owned solutions that can generate income, withstand uncertainty and grow over time.

Entrepreneur-Centric
Journey

A structured journey from idea to sustainable enterprise, combining practical training, mentoring, peer learning and access to useful networks.

Ecosystem
Building

We strengthen incubators, civil society organisations and local partners, while enabling South–South learning and collaboration.

Innovation,
Digitalisation & AI

We work on innovation, digitalisation and responsible AI to help changemakers and organisations strengthen their work and increase their impact.

OUR IMPACT

Solving problems and changing lives.

500+Changemakers connected through learning and peer communities.

200+Youth and women trained in social entrepreneurship.

30+Social enterprises supported to build stronger, more sustainable models.

We have also worked with dozens of civil society organisations and community media outlets to strengthen their business models.

Mauritania

Abo-Bakar

Green Laundry

Yemen

Samia

Baladi La Baladi

Syria

Abdrazaq

Beit Al Mona

Tunisia

Mohamed

Al Khatat

Yemen

Basma

Basma Art

Syria

Yamamah

Hilalah

Meet Our Entrepreneurs →

Knowledge Hub

Ideas and Insights for Lasting Impact

Case Study

From Aid to Social Enterprise

How social entrepreneurs can move from short-term support towards stronger, more sustainable enterprise models.

Report

Building Ecosystems in Fragile Markets

Practical lessons for strengthening incubators, mentors and local support organisations in fragile and underserved markets.

Podcast

Entrepreneurship
of Hope

Stories and insights from changemakers building practical solutions despite uncertainty and limited resources.

Change in Action

Ready to Build Lasting Change?

Whether you are an entrepreneur, mentor, researcher or partner, there is a place for you in the MENA-can community.