Entrepreneurship is widely recognised as a critical driver of economic development in Africa. Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) contribute significantly to employment and GDP across the continent (Endris & Kassegn, 2022).
However, these enterprises face persistent challenges, including low survival rates and limited access to resources.
Business incubation has emerged as a key policy and ecosystem intervention aimed at addressing these challenges. Incubators support startups by providing structured services, including mentorship, access to networks, and business development support.
Despite this, research highlights that the effectiveness of incubation varies significantly. One key issue is the alignment between incubator services and the needs of entrepreneurs.
Studies show that many incubators provide infrastructure and administrative support, while entrepreneurs require:
- access to finance
- access to markets
- structured business development support
(Problems and Perspectives in Management, 2023)
