Egypt's Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) reported a 19.2% growth in the country's ICT sector. This growth highlights the sector's increasing contribution to the economy and its potential for further expansion into higher-value technology products and services. ITIDA CEO Ahmed Elzaher emphasized the importance of leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to drive innovation and scalability in the sector. He made these remarks at the opening of Techne Summit Alexandria 2026.
The event, attended by Sweden's Ambassador to Egypt Dag Juhlin-Dannfelt and other notable figures, focused on Egypt's efforts to strengthen its startup ecosystem. Elzaher stated that the country aims to help startups develop, test, and scale AI-enabled products and services. This initiative seeks to address real-world challenges and capitalize on opportunities created by AI. Egypt is working to provide startups with the necessary tools and resources to compete globally.
Elzaher identified four key priorities for enabling startups to capitalize on AI opportunities: skills, resources, real-world applications, and scale. To support these priorities, ITIDA has launched several initiatives, including the StartIT and AWS programmes, incubation and acceleration support through Creativa Innovation Hubs, and partnerships with Plug and Play and 500 Global. These initiatives aim to strengthen AI capabilities, expand access to cloud and computing resources, and enable startups to test their solutions with customers.
The ITIDA CEO highlighted the potential for Egyptian startups in various sectors, including healthcare, education, fintech, agriculture, and government services. He emphasized that understanding local market needs is crucial for developing solutions with regional and global potential. Elzaher also noted that the opportunity lies not only in adopting AI but also in turning the technology into products and services that address real problems and generate sustainable, scalable value.
Elzaher encouraged entrepreneurs to engage with EgyptInnovate, the national innovation and entrepreneurship platform. By sharing their needs, experiences, and suggestions, entrepreneurs can help improve support programmes and services. He stressed that understanding entrepreneurs' challenges and incorporating their feedback is essential to developing support mechanisms that remain responsive to market needs.
ITIDA's approach is aligned with Egypt's National AI Strategy 2025–2030, which targets supporting the creation of 250 AI-based startups by 2030. Elzaher also announced preparations for an AI competition in cooperation with a government ministry. This competition will give startups and innovative teams an opportunity to develop solutions to real-world challenges.
Elzaher emphasized that developing a product is only the first step for startups. They also need viable business models, investment readiness, market access, and the ability to scale. With the right support and resources, Egyptian startups can leverage AI to drive innovation and growth, ultimately contributing to the country's economic development.
Key points
- Egypt's ICT sector recorded 19.2% growth, driven by AI and tech innovations.
- ITIDA CEO Ahmed Elzaher emphasized the importance of leveraging AI to drive innovation and scalability in the sector.
- Egypt aims to support the creation of 250 AI-based startups by 2030 under its National AI Strategy 2025–2030.