Entrepreneurial Hub Finds Home In Mostakbal City As Global Entrepreneurship Week Kicks Off On Nov 12

Egyptian Minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr and Tatweer Misr CEO and Managing Director Ahmed Shalaby signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) President Jonathan Ortmans to develop an entrepreneurship and innovation hub under the management of GEN. The hub will be located on the 90 acre College Campus in Bloomfields in Mostakbal City, Tatweer Misr’s latest development in Cairo.

GEN is a platform that helps align a variety of players, programmes, and information to better support entrepreneurship. Following the signing of the MoU and during a groundbreaking ceremony held on-site today, the first stone of GEN@Bloomfields was set by Nasr, Shalaby, and Ortmans, representing the first building in the University Campus at Bloomfields.

GEN@Bloomfields is expected to be operational as of 2021 and will host several technology labs, “state-of-the-art” work stations, co-working space, think tanks, a gym, lounges, boardrooms, training rooms, and an atrium which will be used for networking and events. It will be home to many partners, with offerings such as, but not limited to, Executive Education Programmes, Training Programmes, and Lecture Series.

"The Ministry supports all efforts directed towards entrepreneurship in Egypt," says Nasr; referring to the importance of the regional entrepreneurial hub in supporting entrepreneurship in Egypt and on a wider scale, the Middle East and North Africa. "Supporting entrepreneurship, especially those entrepreneurs that bring new and innovative solutions that tackle the challenges facing our country, is a priority for our government," she adds. The Minister also strengthened on “the significance of empowering our youth, supporting the small investor, developing a supportive ecosystem that will reinforce entrepreneurship and innovation and help our youth in achieving their aspirations, is a priority, especially in view of rising unemployment rates in the MENA region among youth and especially women.”

“Empowering innovation is the key to empowering entrepreneurship, and through our partnership with GEN Global on this Campus, we aim to create a space that generates innovation opportunities for developing a better future for our youth in the region,” says the CEO and Managing Director of Tatweer Misr.

Through its partnership with Tatweer Misr, GEN will focus on bringing best-in-class programmes, communities and support from its network, operating in 170 nations, to Egypt’s next generation of entrepreneurs. “GEN has been actively celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) events in Egypt for 11 years, since its inception. Egyptians are building some of the most engaging, proactive and dedicated entrepreneurship communities around the world, that are working towards innovating for real impact for the nation’s benefit,” says Ortmans, during the groundbreaking. “We could not be prouder to stand with our national affiliate, GEN Egypt, alongside Tatweer Misr and other partners in opening GEN@Bloomfields. We look forward to empowering entrepreneurs throughout Egypt and connecting them to the global ecosystem that will help them thrive.”

Accordingly, the campus will offer a 360-degree turn-key solution to start and scale - from the initial concept all the way to sustainable commercialisation. Participants will also have direct on-hand access to a global and diverse team of experienced entrepreneurs, mentors, scientists, managers, CEOs and funders all under one roof to nurture and support them during every step of their journey. This includes product development, services, business models, funding opportunities and access to markets, as well as exploring and identifying new industries and opportunities in MENA.