- Team-building, internal culture, and structure matter more than just the idea or funding.
- Human Resources is no longer a support function; it’s essential to startup survival and growth.
- Technology is reshaping HR, and Egyptian labor law now officially recognizes digital systems.
In the world of entrepreneurship, founders are often consumed with rapid growth, attracting investors, and achieving expansion. But the HR for Startups conference came as a reminder that true success is not built on ideas or funding alone; it begins with people.
Through a series of inspiring interviews conducted by the entArabi team with experts in human resources and startup management, we gathered key insights worth reflecting on summarized in this exclusive coverage.
Marwa Agha: Branding Starts Through the Eyes of Your Employees
In her talk during the conference, Dr. Marwa Agha, lecturer at the German University and ESLSCA University, and holder of several specialized diplomas, shed light on a crucial point often overlooked by founders: the importance of building a strong image of the company from the employees’ perspective.
She explained that most companies focus on corporate branding as a tool to communicate with customers and investors but often neglect employer Branding how employees perceive the company from the inside.
“Corporate branding addresses the customer, but employer branding speaks to the employee. How does my team see me? Is my company a place worth joining? Am I offering real growth opportunities? These questions are just as important as marketing and sales.”
Dr. Marwa concluded her talk with a message to entrepreneurs:
“It’s important to surround yourself with successful models to learn from. Always seek to update yourself, stay aware of what’s new, and learn from the mistakes of others before making them yourself.”
Marwan Mokhtar: Organizational Development Is Not a Luxury — It’s a Priority
Marwan Mokhtar, a business consultant specializing in supporting startups and SMEs, emphasized the importance of organizational development (OD) as a foundational step not a future phase.
In his interview with entArabi, he said:
“Many believe that building internal structure and company culture comes later, but in reality, it’s one of the essential pillars from day one.”
He also offered direct advice to entrepreneurs about financial literacy, explaining that this weakness is one of the common reasons behind startup failure:
“You must strengthen your understanding of finance. It’s not just about cash flow it’s a broader and more strategic concept. Many focus on marketing but remain weak in finance, and that’s one of the main reasons startups fail.”
Heba Shaqweer: Hiring Is Not a Personal Decision It’s a strategic process.
With more than 25 years of experience in HR and training, Dr. Heba Shaqour, HR Consultant, emphasized the major challenge entrepreneurs face in balancing between attracting talent and maintaining the budget.
She explained during her participation in the HR for Startups conference that many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of random hiring due to a lack of planning:
“When your vision is clear, the chances of wrong hiring decrease significantly. It’s not just about skills it’s about whether the person aligns with the company’s current needs.”
She concluded her talk with this direct advice to entrepreneurs:
“If you don’t have a clear plan from the beginning, get someone who can build it for you. You can’t start a company without knowing who you need to hire, or how to build your team. Company building is a process — it starts with planning and ends with team selection. You can’t do that without a specialist.”
Mohamed Mostafa: Don’t Fall in Love with the Idea; The Idea Alone Is Not Enough
Mohamed Mostafa, CEO of Outsourcy and entrepreneurship trainer, was not just a speaker at HR for Startups, but the one who initiated and hosted the event that brought together this lineup of experts and founders.
When asked why he chose this theme, he explained that many of his clients—CEOs, founders, and co-founders—don’t fully understand the manpower side of building a business. They don’t know how to hire, how to write job descriptions, or how to build organizational structure.
“That’s where the idea came from. Why not educate these people? Especially with the current startup trend in Egypt — more companies getting funded, and more companies laying off staff — we wanted to add real value for startup founders.”
In his talk, he discussed the Top 10 Reasons Why Startups Fail, based on the website “Startup Graveyard.”
He also offered a clear message to fellow entrepreneurs:
“The most important thing is: don’t fall in love with your idea. Many founders skip validation because they’re too attached. But without assessment, you’re running blind. And don’t forget the role of HR you need a strong team to build a company, which means you need to think about what benefits you’ll offer them, what kind of training, or compensation packages you’ll provide. And don’t overlook cash flow either.”
He ended his talk with a powerful line:
“Your real capital isn’t your cash flow — it’s your people.”
Mohamed Abou Khadra: Smart Egyptian HR Solutions for Startups
Mohamed Abou Khadra, Head of Business Development at Engaz AI a software house that supports startups and small businesses, presented practical HR solutions developed by the company.
He spoke about Engaz’s role in addressing attendance management, especially with hybrid teams working partially from home and partially in-office. Their AI-based system provides these tools at affordable rates for startups and small businesses.
“We’re proud to be 100% Egyptian. We offer AI solutions that help startups manage their teams efficiently.”
His key message to founders:
“Love your customer, not your product.”
Dr. Wael Hossam: Digital Transformation Is Reshaping HR and Management
Dr. Wael Hossam, who holds a master’s degree in HR and a Ph.D. in Digital Transformation, has over 30 years of experience, with 25 of those in managerial positions.
In his session titled HR in the AI Era, he emphasized how the world is shifting, driven by a new wave of change powered by AI which amplifies human potential.
“Management is changing, leadership is evolving, and how people work is transforming. It’s crucial that professionals understand how HR will operate going forward, what new skills are needed, and what top management must understand to lead correctly.”
He added that there’s a real opportunity for the Arab world to take a leading position especially with the creativity and intelligence of Egyptian professionals.
“If we can channel creativity and innovation into structured systems, the return for the Arab world will be massive.”
He ended his talk with a powerful piece of advice:
“One of the most essential skills is the ability to learn. Every entrepreneur must keep learning no matter their age, even at 80.”
Wael Farghaly: Legal Compliance Is No Longer Optional; Labor Law Has Gone Digital
Wael Farghaly, personnel manager at Al Ezz Dekheila Steel, with 20 years of experience, spoke about the updates in Egyptian labor law specifically how technology is now integrated into legal and regulatory practices.
“The old law only recognized paper-based employee files. But now, the new law officially recognizes digital employee records a long overdue shift in line with how modern companies operate.”
His direct message to entrepreneurs:
“Please comply with the legal framework. The government is moving toward full digital oversight everything is tracked at the highest level. Everything is documented. Compliance is not optional anymore it’s necessary to protect your business.”
Mahmoud Saeed: HR Knowledge Should Be Accessible to Every Entrepreneur
Mahmoud Said, public relations expert and lead organizer of the HR for Startups conference, stated that the true value of the event lay in bridging a major awareness gap among startup founders regarding human resources, especially those operating with limited resources.
He said:
“The conference was directly targeted at startup founders to help them understand the different HR functions and how to benefit from each one even with minimal resources.”
He pointed out that many entrepreneurs view HR as a burden or a cost, when in fact it is a strategic asset that generates value if utilized correctly. The conference aimed to change this perception by simplifying key concepts and offering practical guidance in areas like recruitment, development, compliance, performance management, and organizational culture.
The Human Factor Before the Investment
In the end, the HR for Startups conference affirmed a truth that cannot be ignored:
Companies are not built on ideas alone. Success doesn’t last without strong teams. And funding never replaces proper internal structure.
Across every session and conversation, one message was repeated:
Human Resources is not a support function; it is a foundational pillar for building a sustainable business.
العربية (Arabic) To read the article in Arabic, click here
