Arab Frontier Opens for Entrepreneurs as Revolutions Unleash Online Creative Surge

Nov. 15, 2011 - PRLog -- Social media tools that helped ignite revolutions across the Arab world this year are now being adopted by young entrepreneurs to expand their economies, Interact Egypt co-founder and country manager Fady Ramzy said on today’s Arab Frontier chat on Twitter.

Online entrepreneurs have emerged in Egypt who “all share the vision of utilizing technology to start and grow their businesses,” Ramzy said from Cairo, noting that Facebook users have tripled this year. Interact Egypt offers social media and marketing technology for its clients. http://egypt.interact.it

The Twitter chat was part of the rollout today of Arab Frontier challenges in Global Innovation Game, the official online game of Global Entrepreneurship Week. GiG’s Arab Spring challenge asks: What can an Arab revolutionary teach us about business? Another challenge, Pyramid Scheme, asks how to overcome obstacles from bureaucrats and generals who still hold sway.

Ramzy said bureaucracy remains a heavy obstacle for startups although the ease of working online is spurring progress for business. And he noted there is still a need for “education, awareness and training” to support aspiring entrepreneurs. Ramzy is mentoring young people, including a group of students selling dress designs over Facebook.

Aspiring entrepreneurs use GiG as a fun platform to crowdsource ideas for all kinds of challenges, from the environment to technology to development in Africa. And because this is a social game, you play for status across four traits: Ambassador, Influencer, Investor and Socialite.  (Click on your profile picture in GiG to see how you score.) GiG is a creation of Boston-based Global Mind Games Co.

To check out what’s trending in GiG and jump into the game, point your browser to: http://trends.globalmindgames.com. You can also enter the game directly through Facebook at http://apps.facebook.com/globalinnovationgame

GiG is featuring provocative challenges this week inspired by the world’s rising regions. GiG’s Brainstorm a New World lineup for the rest of the week: Brazil Scores on Wednesday Nov. 16, Rising Africa on Thursday, Nov. 17 and Emerging Europe on Friday, Nov. 18.

East Africa social-media guru Mark Kaigwa is the special guest from Nairobi on Nov. 17 to talk about the consumer revolution in Africa.

The one-hour Twitter chats begin each day at 10 a.m. New York time at #GiGchat on Twitter. To join the conversation, simply add #GiGchat at the end of your tweet.

“The genuine conversation between entrepreneurs that GiG inspires is amazing,” said Global Mind Games co-founder Fred Skoler. “Our goal was to make this a game that the world could adopt and find value in.”

To learn more about GEW 2011 across 123 countries, go to: www.unleashingideas.org