Egypt Targets Attracting $5 Billion in Venture Capital and Supporting 5,000 Startups
Minister of Planning Ahmed Rostom announced a plan aimed at attracting $5 billion in venture capital and supporting 5,000 startups, alongside a financing initiative to mobilize $1 billion over 5 years.
Egyptian Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom announced a government plan aimed at attracting $5 billion in venture capital and supporting 5,000 startups, alongside a unified financing initiative to mobilize $1 billion over five years.
The announcement came during the Minister's participation in the "Entrepreneurs' Pitches" session as part of the fifth day activities of Egypt Forum 2026, moderated by media personality Engy Taher, in the presence of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Mohamed Farid Saleh, CEO of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency Mostafa Ismail, and the Prime Minister's Advisor for Entrepreneurship Amr El-Abd.
Rostom explained that the "Executive Plan to Support Entrepreneurship and Startups" aims to unify the definition of startups and facilitate their access to incentives, while working on establishing a joint financing fund between the Ministry of Planning and the National Investment Bank through "NI Capital" and development partners, to fund companies across various growth stages.
Regarding the transition of companies from regulatory sandboxes to permanent licenses, the Minister said the file will be presented to the Ministerial Committee for Entrepreneurship in coordination with the Central Bank of Egypt and relevant entities to establish clear regulatory paths. He cited 2024 estimates by "Startup Genome" showing that the value of the startup ecosystem accounts for about 8% of the GDP of G20 countries, noting that the "Business Clinic" has resolved 21 out of 48 challenges received.
What do these terms mean?
Venture Capital: Funds invested by a fund or investor in high-growth startups in exchange for an equity stake, assuming a high risk of loss in exchange for the potential of high returns.
Regulatory Sandboxes: An experimental environment that allows companies to test their products under the supervision of a regulatory authority with relaxed rules before obtaining a full license.
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