The third edition of Techne Summit Cairo 2024 concludes with the participation of 25,000 visitors, 180 investors, and 500 startups
Cairo, May 27, 2024: Cairo International Stadium witnessed the conclusion of the third edition of the Techne Summit in Cairo, the largest international event in the Mediterranean region specializing in investment, technology, and entrepreneurship. The event was held under the patronage and in collaboration with the Ministries of Communications and Information Technology, Youth and Sports, in addition to the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), the General Division of Digital Economy and Technology (DETGD), the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC), and Egypt Projects. The summit’s activities spanned over three days, attracting 25,000 visitors, 180 investors, and 500 startups.
The summit included numerous panel discussions and workshops led by local and international experts and professionals, covering 10 different tracks on technology and business management. The second day of the Techne Summit saw a visit from Dr. Ashraf Sobhi, the Minister of Youth and Sports, who expressed his admiration for the startups during his tour among the exhibitors participating in the summit. He commended the young entrepreneurs from various governorates for showcasing their ideas and projects.
Emphasizing its active role in supporting and empowering entrepreneurship among the youth, the Techne Summit launched two competitions. The first competition, titled the “Egyptian Entrepreneurship League (EEL),” aimed to enhance and empower entrepreneurs in the startup community in various fields such as renewable energy, green buildings, sustainable transportation, water management, waste management, and land management (sustainable agriculture). The competition saw fierce competition among 12 startups, selected from 178 companies that applied from across Egypt. The contestants presented their innovative ideas based on their engagement on various social media platforms, with their projects showcased on TikTok. The competition offered cash prizes totaling 500,000 Egyptian pounds, won by companies Yoda and Tailstic.
The second competition, titled “Empower-Her Champions,” was launched by the Techne Summit in collaboration with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ Egypt). It aimed to promote gender equality in the workplace and create leadership opportunities for women in various fields. The competition witnessed intense rivalry, with more than 40 Egyptian companies submitting outstanding proposals. Eleven companies were selected for the finals, with six companies winning the award. Four of them received the “Empowerment Champions” award: Entlaq, OBM Education, Gowa El7alla, and Plstka. Additionally, Mattlob and Niotech received the “Community Impact” award. All winning companies received 40% funding from GIZ Egypt to support the implementation of their initiatives aimed at achieving gender equality.
Tarek El-Kady, the Executive Director of the Techne Summit, expressed his immense happiness with the great success witnessed by the summit over the three days. He stated: “The success of the third edition of the Techne Summit in Cairo reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in Egypt. The wide participation of entrepreneurs, investors, and startups from across Egypt and Africa is a significant testament to the growing importance of the technology and entrepreneurship sector in Egypt and the region, the strong desire to exchange experiences, explore collaboration opportunities, and enhance entrepreneurship in various fields.” El-Kady extended his gratitude to the Ministries of Communications and Information Technology, Youth and Sports, and all state agencies for the substantial support the summit received, as well as to various local and international partners. He confirmed the Techne Summit’s commitment to continuing its work for further future successes in the field of entrepreneurship and technology in Egypt and the region.
On the sidelines of the closing activities of the Techne Summit, several memorandums of understanding were signed between the Techne Summit and a group of companies to provide further support for entrepreneurs in Egypt and create the appropriate environment for their prosperity. Leading these was a memorandum of understanding with the company “Entlaq” to promote entrepreneurship in different governorates by providing activities aimed at developing the capabilities of university youth through the Roots program offered by Entlaq and Techne tours in the governorates. The collaboration also aims to provide data by working together on research projects in the field of entrepreneurship focused on integrating women and migrants into the sector, as well as promoting the Egyptian entrepreneurship sector to the local and international investor network that Techne works with. Additionally, a cooperation protocol was signed with the company “Moharram & Partners (M&P)” covering several strategic areas to enhance innovation and growth for the startup environment within the Techne Summit’s corporate innovation program. The cooperation also extends to the field of public policies, where the two companies will collaborate to develop legislations and policies that promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation.
The list of partners and sponsors for the third edition of the Techne Summit Cairo included a group of major companies, among them the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (TIEC), the General Division of Digital Economy and Technology (DETGD), and the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC). In addition, the strategic partner, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency, the telecommunications partner, Telecom Egypt (WE), the platinum partner, Triangles, the gold partner, Edventures, Novartis Egypt, Roche, and Cardo, the silver partner, Sand, and the main organizer, Markade. The summit hosted a distinguished group of global, regional, and Egyptian experts, including Hossam Heiba, CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones, Vijay Tirathrai, Managing Director and Regional Head for the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan at Techstars, Suraj Shah, Head of Strategic Partnerships at the Mastercard Foundation Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation, Maxime Bain, Co-Founder of Catalyst Fund and the Africa The Big Deal startup deals database, Ahmed El Alfi, Founder and Chairman of Sawari Ventures, and Ahmed Tarek, Founder and General Manager of Allianz Middle East, alongside a prominent lineup of speakers from various sectors.
It is worth noting that the second edition of the Techne Summit Cairo hosted more than 230 speakers, 180 investors from over 30 countries, and more than 150 exhibitors ranging from giant companies such as Zoho & SAP to innovative startups like Maxab and CGC. In addition to the Techne Summit competitions, nine different tracks were discussed through 10 workshops led by professional experts, and five panel discussions covering creative technology, technological empowerment, e-commerce, educational technology, financial technology, health technology, investment, advertising, and the Business Academy for startups.
