Telcos Can (And Should) Enable The Success Of MENA's Millennial Entrepreneurs
By Hany Fahmy Aly / Entrepreneur Middle East
Much like many other aspects of modern life and business, millennials have come to dominate the entrepreneurial landscape. They have all the right characteristics to make waves as entrepreneurs: not only do they comprise one of the largest generations in history, but they are also the most educated and the most technologically versed generation. This is especially true in the Middle East, which boasts the largest proportion of millennial entrepreneurs in the world, according to a recent report by HSBC Private Bank.
Millennials are driven towards entrepreneurship by their desire to work autonomously combined with their eagerness to make a difference in the world. They are a career-oriented cohort with a knack for creativity and innovation– and in the Middle East, a region known as a global innovation hub built on a foundation of technological development, millennials are poised to lead the entrepreneurial charge in the coming years.
In today’s digitally driven world, millennial entrepreneurs have an advantage over their older counterparts from previous generations. They are the world’s first digital natives, having grown up with smartphones and the internet always available, and as such, they are more knowledgeable and comfortable with the technology that has shaped our modern lives. They are intellectually equipped to conquer the world’s challenges and build businesses that can flourish– but just as technology works in their favor as entrepreneurs, so too does it hinder them.
To succeed in today’s competitive business landscape, entrepreneurs must have access to the digital tools and technologies that have become commonplace in established companies’ operations. This is where telecoms operators come in. As businesses become increasingly digital every day, telcos provide necessary resources such as IT tools and services, digital infrastructure, and connectivity– all of which are vital in entrepreneurial endeavors. Millennials are already equipped with the ambition, vision, and disruptive mindset they need to get their business ventures off the ground, but without the right digital resources, they will scarcely move beyond the early stages of business development.
It is not by coincidence that the nowpervasive global giants that began as millennial-founded startups, such as Uber, Venmo, and Airbnb, operate almost exclusively through digital means. Their founders saw an opportunity in digitalization and seized it, and as the world has grown increasingly dependent on technology, they have continued to capitalize on this trend. Their success has grown in tandem with the presence and availability of connectivity, and information and communications technology (ICT) on a global scale, reflecting the value of digital resources in entrepreneurial success.
Source: entrepreneur.com