IPA director urges more action to ease operation of startups in MEA region

12 / 05 / 2024

By Marwa Nassar - -

Influence Public Affairs (IPA) Director Walid Ramadan asserted that it’s important for startups to be aware of legislative and political developments that may impact their businesses, although the MEA region has made strides with initiatives like tax incentives to foster entrepreneurship, yet more action is needed for greater ease of operation.

He made the remarks during his participation in the Fifth Edition of the Startups Without Borders Summit. In a panel discussion titled “The Next Frontier of Open Innovation: How Corporates and Startups Are Building New Horizons,” Ramadan underscored the pivotal role of public affairs in monitoring legislative and policy landscapes.

He stated, “It’s important for startups to be aware of legislative and political developments that may impact their businesses, although the MEA region has made strides with initiatives like tax incentives to foster entrepreneurship, yet more action is needed for greater ease of operation.”

Ramadan added “To address these challenges, emerging solutions include streamlined visa programs offering promising pathways for startup founders. These programs provide faster processing, residency benefits, and opportunities for expansion.”

In his intervention addressing the evolving regulatory landscape, Walid emphasized that “the evolving regulatory landscape should be predictable, as the introduction of the DMA and DSA by the EU has ushered in a new era of regulatory scrutiny, particularly for major industry players like Amazon.”

He said “proactive engagement and strategic collaboration in the face of evolving regulations became crucial, as startups seek to navigate this dynamic landscape, leveraging opportunities for dialogue and collaboration with major industry players becomes paramount.”

It is worth to mention that IPA (Influence Public Affairs) is a leading consultancy firm specializing in government affairs, public policy, and investment affairs. Since its establishment in 2015, IPA has been at the forefront of shaping public opinion and achieving impactful results through innovative approaches in MEA region.