IntCore: Creating space for competition

IntCore is a digital marketing company offering web and mobile solutions. They have handled accounts for CBC, tecno mobile and Bizol, amongst others. In 2015, IntCore had only 2 employees and a small office at The Greek Campus.

Now, however, with 22 employees, an office in Dokki, another one in the Dubai, in addition to a partnership with another Saudi company, we may say that the process of expanding their business is going well.

The impact of IntCore

With a vision of spreading technological awareness in Egypt, IntCore works on building an educated and experienced software engineering community. Internships aren’t only offered for potential hires but more often, with the purpose of educating inexperienced software engineers in this specific industry.

Funds and Achievements

IntCore is self-funded and has attended GITEX in October 2016 as an exhibitor. The company is also expanding beyond Egypt, with an office in the Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Centre and a partnership with a Saudi company.

Challenges

IntCore was not the first venture Eslam Ramadan took on but the third. When starting IntCore, he had already had 13 years of experience in the field, giving him the background on what is needed for a high-quality service.

Due to the long experience and good quality of the services offered by IntCore, the costs of operation are also high, which is often unexpected for startups, and creates a gap between operation prices and expected market prices.

And without awareness of existing mentoring opportunities, such challenges had to be overcome with their own knowledge and judgment to be seen as in the market as a real company and not just a startup.

In Ramadan’s experience finding investors who are interested in services instead of products has not worked out, but as a successful profit-generating company with projects that are already more valuable than many investment budgets, it seems like an impractical step.

Attending GITEX, however, with the currency gap was a huge risk which could have decreased the company's ROI. But as with all risks taken, there needs to be a plan B to be able to recover from such pitfalls and that span long term solutions.

Success Factors

The main reason for the success of IntCore is passion. Eslam Ramadan, the CEO, had opened up 2 other companies before IntCore, both of which went down. But due to his passion and confidence in his work, he opened a third company, that is now expanding outside of Egypt.

Say something to young students, entrepreneurs and researchers

What Eslam Ramadan attributes his success to, is also what he has as advice for other aspiring entrepreneurs. With enough trust for the service or product you’re offering, and the complementary passion you will be able to face the challenges that are inevitable for startups.