MENA's Innovation Pipeline Is Leaking: Scale-Up, Exit and Capital Recycling Gaps

MENA is producing startups, but its innovation pipeline leaks value between formation, scale, liquidity, and capital recycling. This article examines what the latest 2026 funding and conversion data actually shows, why the often-cited 6 percent figure needs careful interpretation, and how thin exit and secondary markets affect investor behavior. It offers a four-gate diagnostic for founders, investors, corporate buyers, and policymakers; an eight-factor readiness scorecard; common failure modes; and a 12-week implementation plan with clear ownership. The central argument is practical rather than pessimistic: the region does not need fewer ideas, but stronger conversion into repeatable companies, credible liquidity routes, recycled capital, experienced talent, and durable enterprises that create jobs, products, and intellectual property.