“Entrepreneurs do not operate in a vacuum; they operate in an environment and what we’ve learned over the years is that enterprises can’t truly grow until the environment around them is supportive,” Sam Parker, Director of Shell Foundation, told Daily News Egypt.

“Policy can really help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) flourish; they don’t necessarily need the direct government funding, as in some cases owners can invest through private capital if they operate in a conducive environment which  allows easy access to licenses and facilitates operations for them,” he added.