Reading Time: 4 minutesAsk whether digital finance is helping women entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) overcome old barriers and the honest answer is: both, at the same time. But is access enough to drive real growth?
Tag: SMEs
Beyond registration: Why does formalisation matter for Somalia’s small businesses?
Reading Time: 3 minutesFor small businesses, formalisation should not feel like another administrative burden. Done well, it can become a route to trust, finance and growth. In Somalia, informal shops and traders keep economies alive daily; so, are we formalising for paperwork, or to really help entrepreneurs succeed?
Beyond Tokyo: Can Japan boost the appeal of its regions?
Reading Time: 4 minutesRegions and cities are being reshaped by falling birth rates, ageing populations and the continued movement of young people to large metropolitan hubs. Japan knows this story well: for more than two decades, over 100,000 people a year have moved to the Tokyo metropolitan area from elsewhere in Japan. The question is no longer how to strengthen Tokyo, but how to strengthen everywhere else?
Cutting red tape where it matters most: Why SMEs need simpler local rules
Reading Time: 4 minutesPolicymakers are placing renewed emphasis on regulatory simplification, seeking to cut red tape and help firms grow. For SMEs, this is crucial: growth is shaped not by one law, but by permits and reporting requirements piling across levels of government. How can governments simplify this patchwork without losing its safeguards?
Lost in the policy maze: Why UK SMEs are missing out on tech gains
Reading Time: 3 minutesAI is spreading through the UK economy, but not quickly enough. Recent UK evidence shows that around one in three firms with fewer than 50 employees adopted AI, compared with almost two in three larger businesses, while regional adoption ranged from 32% in the North East to 67% in London. What can government do to close these adoption gaps?
SME decarbonisation at a crossroads: What should governments do next?
Reading Time: 3 minutesGoing green is good for business and the planet. But as policymakers focus on geopolitical risks, energy security and the rise of AI, the low-carbon transition risks being sidelined, especially for smaller businesses. How can governments keep up the momentum?
A Maturing Maipú: How the Chilean city is adapting to an ageing population
Reading Time: 4 minutesChile, like much of the world, is undergoing a profound demographic shift, as birth rates plummet and life expectancy soars. In Maipú, Chile, local leaders emphasize the importance of city planning and governance tailored for older residents.
SME finance in uncertain times: Forging a path to resilience
Reading Time: 3 minutesSMEs and entrepreneurs are at an important crossroads. Recent challenges like pandemic shutdowns, high inflation, and rising interest rates persist, keeping financing conditions tight. As uncertainty grows, businesses and governments must choose: halt investments at the risk of innovation and competitiveness or find new ways to access capital.