Dr. Rania Al-Mashat Chairs Ministerial Group Meeting on Entrepreneurship

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, chaired the sixth meeting of the Ministerial Group on Entrepreneurship to review government policies and initiatives ready for launch to support startups and enhance investment and innovation.

The meeting also discussed a proposal to establish an institutional entity to support the growth and prosperity of Egypt’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, in implementation of the directives of Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly.

Ministerial Group Participation

The meeting was attended by Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports; Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; Dr. Sherif Farouk, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade; Mr. Mohamed Gibran, Minister of Labor; Eng. Hassan El-Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade (via video conference); and Dr. Hisham Azmy, Chairman of the Egyptian Intellectual Property Authority.

Also attending were Mr. Basel Rahmy, CEO of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA); Mr. Yasser Sobhy, Deputy Minister of Finance; Dr. Hossam Osman, Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; Mr. Sherif Lokman, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt for Financial Inclusion and Sustainability; Dr. Jihan Saleh, Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister; Mr. Amr El-Abd, Advisor to the Prime Minister for Entrepreneurship; and Eng. Ahmed El-Zaher, CEO of the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA).

The meeting was further attended by Mr. Mahmoud Gabr, Assistant Chairman of the Financial Regulatory Authority; Mr. Tamer Taha, Advisor to the Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation for Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Mr. Hossam Abdelkader, Head of the Central Administration for Entrepreneurship at GAFI; Ms. Angie El-Yamani, Executive Director of the Rural Industries Support Fund at the Ministry of Social Solidarity; along with representatives from relevant ministries and entities.

A Clear Vision for Entrepreneurship

The Ministerial Group operates under a clear vision aimed at strengthening the entrepreneurship ecosystem to achieve sustainable and accelerated economic growth based on competitiveness, create decent job opportunities, and support a knowledge-based economy. The group emphasized that the government adopts a participatory approach to policymaking, engaging all stakeholders within the entrepreneurship community.

Government Policies and Initiatives

The meeting reviewed an integrated package of government policies and initiatives ready for launch, including a unified definition of startups and a startup classification certificate to regulate access to government incentives and facilitative measures. Discussions also covered the “Egypt Startup Charter” as an executive roadmap encompassing more than 80 government actions to enhance trust between the government and startups and improve coordination of efforts.

The package further includes ensuring policy clarity for investors, launching a unified government guide for services and licenses to bridge information gaps and facilitate startups’ access to more than 170 services and licenses provided by 35 government entities, as well as the launch of the Ministerial Group’s official website as a unified communication platform with the entrepreneurship community.

Startup Ecosystem Observatory

The meeting also discussed the establishment of a Startup Ecosystem Observatory to collect and analyze data and measure policy impact, along with a Scale-Up Support Program aimed at enhancing the readiness of high-growth startups for international markets and future public offerings.

Additionally, unified government initiatives to stimulate investment in startups were reviewed to maximize private sector and venture capital investments.

Comprehensive Startup Support

Discussions addressed supporting startups across all growth stages, from ideation to maturity, linking the entrepreneurship ecosystem with industry needs and scientific research, expanding innovation support programs, incubators and accelerators, and enabling startups to leverage research infrastructure and co-working spaces. The meeting also highlighted the importance of accelerating government procedures, particularly those related to taxation, social insurance, and labor offices.

Further topics included increasing startups’ participation in government projects, supporting international expansion, developing local talent and attracting global expertise, protecting intellectual property, and enhancing the market value of startups. Proposals regarding the establishment of a dedicated institutional entity for startups were also discussed.

Launch of the First Initiative Package

In her concluding remarks, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat affirmed that the government is moving forward with launching the first package of initiatives and policies supporting startups, within a comprehensive vision to position Egypt as a regional hub for entrepreneurship and innovation, and to enhance startups’ contribution to economic growth and youth employment.

Egypt’s Startup Sector Performance

It is worth noting that Egypt’s startup sector recorded strong performance in 2025, according to Africa: The Big Deal data, with total funding reaching approximately USD 614 million throughout the year. This figure includes diverse financing instruments such as equity investments, debt financing, and other innovative funding tools, reflecting market maturity and diversified financing channels across different growth stages.

In the same context, Magnitt data for 2025 indicates that Egyptian startups attracted around USD 304 million through 69 venture capital deals, alongside notable M&A activity with 12 transactions, the highest number of exits across Africa according to the report.

Growing Investor Interest

These acquisitions reflect strong interest from local strategic investors as well as regional and international companies in the Egyptian market, reinforcing Egypt’s position as a leading regional hub for entrepreneurship, a highly attractive investment destination, and a supportive environment for innovation, expansion, and sustainable growth.

Source: Press Release