This paper presents the Focused Policy Assessment of Capital Expenditure by the Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation (DBEI) on supports for Start-up and Entrepreneurship. The objectives of this FPA are to take a top down analysis of total DBEI funding of Start-up and Entrepreneurship expenditure and to trace that investment through its main activities, outputs and impacts across the main themes of investment.

Industrial policies have returned to the forefront of policy discussions as governments strive to support businesses amidst ongoing challenges such as productivity slowdown, climate change, natural disasters, and trade shocks. This paper reviews Slovenia's "Industrial Strategy 2021-2030 for green, creative and smart development" (SIS), designed to address these challenges through targeted policy instruments. Leveraging a variety of data sources, the review examines the strategy's design, governance, policy instruments, and their effectiveness in achieving Slovenia's objectives.

Public discussion has largely focused on the effects of tech policy on platforms or casual users, while relatively little attention has been paid to entrepreneurial types of users or those who have leveraged these platforms beyond mere entertainment purposes. In this paper I explore the effects that some of the most debated issues—such as proposed policy changes in the areas of antitrust, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1934 and content moderation, and data privacy—could have on this unique group of users.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is estimated to have grown at a modest rate of 1.9 percent in 2024 and is expected to grow moderately at 2.6 percent in 2025. This is against a backdrop of increased global uncertainty, particularly in trade policy. The region is far from the frontier in standards of living, largely due to low productivity. This issue of the MENA Economic Update sheds light on a critical engine of productivity growth: the private sector. Businesses create jobs, boost livelihoods, and serve as a bastion of innovation in the economy.

Although microenterprises are the most prevalent employer in Africa, boosting their productivity remains a development challenge. Theoretically, microenterprise business associations could foster technology, improve access to inputs, pool risk, ensure coordination, and facilitate credit for businesses. However, basic facts about their scope and roles are missing from the literature. This study establishes descriptive results to shed light on the nature of these networks in West Africa.

OECD countries are increasingly competing to attract highly skilled migrants to fill skill shortages and support economic growth and innovation. The OECD Indicators of Talent Attractiveness (ITA), first released in 2019, is a benchmarking tool to compare how countries fare in attracting talented migrants. This paper describes the methodology and key outcomes of the second edition of ITA.

Government Venture Capital (GovVC) Funds are a widely used policy tool across OECD countries to promote innovation. This paper introduces a taxonomy that distinguishes between different fund designs and serves as a practical guide for policymakers and researchers engaged in cross-country comparisons. It explores the rationales behind GovVC initiatives, particularly their role in seeding and complementing private venture capital markets.

Restraints clauses that prevent workers from joining (or starting) a competing firm (non-compete clauses); the disclosure of confidential information; or the poaching of former co-workers or clients are traditionally justified to protect legitimate business interests (e.g. trade secrets, client lists, or investments in training). Yet, there are increasing concerns that such clauses may be deployed to suppress job mobility and competition.

This report analyzes the social entrepreneurship (SE) sector in Tunisia, exploring its potential to address social and economic challenges. It highlights the growing role of SEs in providing services to marginalized communities and promoting sustainable development. The study identifies key factors driving the growth of SEs, including increased awareness, the emergence of support organizations, and the private sector's growing interest in social impact.

Women’s entrepreneurship in Uzbekistan has grown significantly in recent years, with 2.1 million women entrepreneurs operating in 2024 — a sevenfold increase since 2020. While challenges persist, particularly related to unpaid social care responsibilities and limited access to finance, national reforms and state support programmes have improved the commercial and legal environment for women.