• ITIDA and Plug and Play’s Aswan Bootcamp supported 61 Upper Egypt startups, securing USD 3.7M in investments.
• The program blends technical training and expert mentorship, expanding Egypt’s entrepreneurship ecosystem beyond Cairo and fostering regional innovation growth.
• ITIDA plans to extend similar initiatives to the Nile Delta, advancing a geographically inclusive strategy for scaling tech startups nationwide.

ITIDA

The Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) concluded the Aswan Bootcamp Series program in partnership with Plug and Play, supporting 61 startups across Upper Egypt.

Several of the participating companies have collectively secured investments estimated at USD 3.7 million (EGP 200M).

The program forms part of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology’s broader strategy to foster entrepreneurship. It is also part of their strategy to expand opportunity across Egypt’s governorates, with a focus on building a more geographically inclusive innovation economy.

Aswan Bootcamp Series

The program launched in November 2024 by ITIDA in partnership with Plug and Play. It is also in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Moreover, the program aims to support around 60 technology startups through a series of specialized bootcamps.

During implementation, changes in international development cooperation led to a halt in external funding. However, strong demand, evidenced by over 150 applications from across Upper Egypt, and the successful completion of three phases pushed ITIDA to step in as the sole funder, ensuring the program continued through to completion.

The program delivered through an intensive model that blended technical training with mentorship from industry experts, the program supported 61 startups from Aswan and nearby governorates. The impact is already visible as several participating startups have secured an estimated USD 3.7 million (EGP 200M) in investments.

“It is a demonstration of a broader national direction—one that places startup growth and entrepreneurial empowerment at the center of economic development, particularly in Upper Egypt, where the potential to build globally competitive companies is significant,” said Eng. Ahmed El-Zaher, CEO of ITIDA.

Looking Ahead

Building on this momentum, ITIDA plans to extend similar programs to the Nile Delta. This is in continuation of its push to decentralize innovation and broaden participation in Egypt’s technology economy.

The expansion points to a broader long-term vision: positioning Egypt not just as a tech hub, but as a geographically inclusive ecosystem where innovation can originate, and scale, across the country. 

In recent years, Egypt’s entrepreneurship landscape has seen steady growth, fueled by a strong pipeline of tech startups, rising venture capital activity, and an increasingly supportive policy environment.