Article by Omar F. Koudsi, Chief Business Officer and Co-Founder of Arab Theraby.
Entrepreneurship in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region is as vibrant and dynamic as its diverse cultures. As startups bloom across sectors from technology to finance, Mena’s entrepreneurs are at the forefront of innovation and economic transformation. But while the entrepreneurship path is often glorified as having the potential for success and innovation, it hides a less talked about side: the serious mental health challenges that founders face.
Entrepreneurship, by its very nature, is a journey fraught with uncertainty, risk, and immense pressure. Founders are often praised for their resilience and tenacity, but behind that façade lies a private struggle with stress, anxiety, and often depression. The psychological toll of entrepreneurship has been well documented in a variety of studies, including an award-winning 2013 article in Inc. Magazine that highlighted the often overlooked mental health crisis among entrepreneurs. There is.
In the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, these challenges are amplified by the unique sociopolitical context. Factors such as regional instability, economic instability, and impacts such as the Gaza war and the COVID-19 pandemic have added to the stress and uncertainty for entrepreneurs. Wamda’s research into the impact of the pandemic on entrepreneurs in Mena revealed a significant increase in stress levels, highlighting the urgent need for mental health support in this community.
Founders typically endure higher stress levels than the general population and are twice as likely to develop depression. According to Wamda’s report, 40 percent of founders wanted access to mental health support from the broader entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Recognizing this critical need, Arab Therapy, a platform dedicated to mental wellness in the Arab world, and Flat6Labs, a leading startup accelerator in the Mena region, have embarked on a groundbreaking partnership. This collaboration aims to bring mental health support to the forefront of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and provide founders with the resources and support they need to navigate the psychological challenges of entrepreneurship.
“Entrepreneurs are the backbone of innovation, but they can only drive change if they have collective support,” says Dr. Tarek Darbar, CEO of Arab Therapies. “Our partnership with Flat6Labs aims to recognize the mental health struggles of entrepreneurs and provide a safe and supportive environment where they can seek help completely anonymously.”
This sentiment is echoed by Ragia Abdel Ghaffar, Program Director at Flat6Labs, who emphasizes the important role of mental health in an entrepreneur’s success. “We have seen first-hand the impact that mental health issues have on founders and their businesses. Our collaboration with Arab Therapy is a step towards changing the narrative around mental health in the entrepreneurial community, and we believe that mental health Make it a priority, not an afterthought.”
The partnership will provide entrepreneurs with concrete support mechanisms, including workshops, one-on-one counseling sessions, and digital resources tailored to the unique challenges of founding and running a startup. This ensures founders have access to the tools they need to manage stress, deal with failure, and build resilience.
The culture of entrepreneurship in the Mena region needs to change. We break down the stigma associated with mental health issues and encourage founders to speak up about their experiences and seek help when they need it.
Entrepreneurs in the Mena region need to know that mental health is just as important as business metrics, and that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. This cultural shift is critical to fostering a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem where founders can succeed not only in business but also in their personal lives.
As the Mena startup ecosystem continues to grow and evolve, Arab Therapy and Flat6Labs’ partnership serves as a model for how support networks can adapt to meet the holistic needs of entrepreneurs.
Prioritizing mental health paves the way for a new generation of founders who not only have the skills to build successful businesses, but also the resilience to withstand the psychological challenges that come with entrepreneurship.
In conclusion, the mental health struggles of the founders of the Mena region are significant challenges that require a concerted and compassionate response. The partnership between Arab Therapy and Flat6Labs is an important step in addressing this issue, providing support, resources, and most importantly, a change in the perception of mental health in the entrepreneurial community. It is. As this initiative gains momentum, we hope to stimulate a more collaborative, resilient, and mentally healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Mena region.
