Design Entrepreneurs’ Challenges in Cairo’s Ecosystem

Abstract

This paper investigates the struggles faced by Design Entrepreneurs in Cairo. After using grounded theory, general challenges arose from the codes, yet in depth understanding of the communication problems between the entrepreneu- rs, the designers and manufacturers in a start-up. The study took place in Cairo, where the entrepreneurial ecosystem is still emerging along the past couple of years. Six entrepreneurs were interviewed. The results exhibit most of the pro- blems faced within the start-up and the ecosystem, also challenges emerged in terms of dealing with designers and makers in the product development phases. Understanding the struggles and the failed and successful methods of solving them helps create a foundation for design entrepreneurship. When this founda- tion is better established, hopefully would allow the economic status in Cairo to flourish. Due to lack of documentation, this study aims to guide design entrepre- neurs struggling in Cairo, acting as reference for some of the problems and their possible solutions.

Keywords

• design entrepreneurs
• designers
• cairo
• grounded theory