Egyptian Startups Attract $254M in the First Eight Months of 2025

Egypt’s startups have secured $254 million in announced investments in the first eight months of 2025, according to Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Rania Al-Mashat. Speaking at the annual Entlaq conference in El Gouna, Al-Mashat noted a 17 percent increase in deal volume compared to the same period last year. Since 2020, startups in Egypt have attracted $2.2 billion in funding, seven times more than the total raised between 2015 and 2019. Al-Mashat described startups as a key driver of economic development, citing their role in creating jobs, offering innovative solutions to developmental challenges, and building a knowledge-based, technology-driven economy. The Egyptian government has intensified its support for entrepreneurship through the Ministerial Group for Entrepreneurship, a cross-ministerial body created to strengthen the startup ecosystem. Since its inception, the group has worked closely with founders, investors, civil society and government agencies to develop more than 70 policy measures in collaboration with 19 ministries. These include simplifying licensing procedures, supporting international expansion, and enhancing startups’ access to government projects. The government is also preparing to launch a unified digital platform for startup registration and licensing alongside a major financing initiative designed to support 5,000 startups, including fintech firms, with the potential to create 500,000 jobs. A national definition of startups is also being introduced to ensure resources and incentives reach the right beneficiaries. In parallel, a comprehensive licensing guide covering 14 high-growth sectors is nearing completion and will be unveiled as part of a forthcoming Startup Charter for Egypt. The Entlaq conference also marked the launch of the third edition of Egypt’s annual entrepreneurship report, which tracks key metrics and trends for policymakers, investors, and founders, offering a practical resource for the country’s growing innovation ecosystem.