Majid Al-Futtaim has announced the victory of two Egyptian startups, Sigma Fit for sportswear and Kaleem for sustainable handmade products, in its Launchpad program. The announcement was made during a special celebration held at Mall of Egypt, coinciding with the launch of their retail stores within Al-Futtaim shopping centers, aiming to encourage and celebrate the entrepreneurship community in Egypt.
The Launchpad program, initiated by Majid Al-Futtaim regionally in 2022, serves as a vital element in the company’s business ecosystem, targeting to enhance the entrepreneurship sector and support small and medium-sized enterprises in their pursuit of innovation, creativity, and growth. Out of approximately 200 applicants from across the Middle East and North Africa, the Egyptian brands Sigma Fit and Kaleem were selected to win the Launchpad program award, leading to the opening of their stores in Mall of Egypt and City Centre Almaza.
The main event activities included a panel discussion featuring Rasha Azab, Head of the Shopping Mall Sector for Majid Al-Futtaim in Egypt and Lebanon, along with the founders of Kaleem for sustainable handmade products, Sigma Fit for sportswear, MAZ, and Impacteen. The discussion covered various topics including Majid Al-Futtaim role in supporting and empowering entrepreneurship in Egypt and enabling startups with necessary support through the Launchpad program, acting as an incubator for emerging local and global businesses.
Commenting on the success of these companies in the Launchpad program, Rasha Azab expressed, “At Majid Al-Futtaim, we believe in the importance of supporting entrepreneurs and startups, as we see them as essential elements for the development of the Egyptian economy. We are committed to providing them with all the necessary support, guidance, and incentives to enable them to achieve their goals and thereby drive economic growth on a broader scale.” She added, “We are proud to have the first two winning commercial brands, Sigma Fit and Kaleem, present in our shopping centers.”
Majid Al-Futtaim Launchpad program, launched in collaboration with Astrolabs, Microsoft, and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) FinTech Hive, aims to attract, develop, and nurture innovative startups and small and medium-sized enterprises that can benefit from Majid Al-Futtaim’s wide-ranging ecosystem and real growth opportunities it offers. The program serves as a support pillar for entrepreneurs in the region, providing its services to local brands in various sectors including fashion, lifestyle, entertainment, climate technology, and community.
