How ‘FutureTECH by Raya’ is Bridging the Corporate-Startup Gap

Amidst Egypt’s evolving corporate landscape, the walls that have traditionally stood between established corporates and agile startups are beginning to thin. What started two years ago as a collaborative experiment between Raya Holding for Financial Investments and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) has developed into a blueprint for corporate innovation in Egypt. With the close of the Raya FutureTECH program, a new chapter is beginning: the unveiling of ‘FutureTECH by Raya’, a rebranded platform that signals a shift from early-stage acceleration to deep-rooted, growth-stage integration.

The transition reflects a sophisticated evolution in how the private sector fosters entrepreneurship. By leveraging the develoPPP program - financed by the BMZ on behalf of the German Government - the partnership has spent two full years turning greenfield ideas into tangible market realities. With 46 startups across sectors including fintech, logistics and AI navigating four acceleration cycles, the participants created 238 jobs and successfully raised $2.3 million in investment, proving that the cross-section of corporate infrastructure entrepreneurial spirit has an impact on the entire ecosystem.

Ahmed Khalil, Group CEO of Raya Holding, framed this evolution not as a departure, but as a homecoming to the company’s roots. "This partnership with GIZ has demonstrated what happens when corporates and development institutions work with a shared purpose: innovation turns into opportunity, and opportunity into impact," he noted, while emphasising that many of Raya’s most successful business units began as greenfield companies, making the ‘FutureTECH’ mission a natural and logical extension of the Group’s long-standing entrepreneurial journey. “Raya is an investment company with entrepreneurial DNA. We have built companies from ideas on paper into operating businesses and, in some cases, entire industries. Through FutureTECH by Raya and our partnership with GIZ, we opened our platforms and know-how to startups, strengthening the bridge between corporates and entrepreneurs.”

The closing event, which featured a panel discussion titled ‘Breaking Down Corporate Walls’, highlighted the necessity of creating a space for startups inside large organizations. Elisabeth Richter, Head of Programme at develoPPP, highlighted that this brand of private sector engagement is a core pillar for sustainable economic development. "As this project concludes, we see measurable progress among participating firms across several growth sectors," Richter stated. "Targeted technical assistance, capacity development, and access to relevant networks have improved business readiness and opened new market opportunities. These results underscore our continued commitment to Egypt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and to enabling businesses to compete and expand over the long term."

As the formal partnership with GIZ concludes, the newly minted ‘FutureTECH by Raya’ - Accelerating the Daring’ is already looking toward the future. The platform’s next move involves a strategic push into clean mobility through the upcoming EV Accelerator Program in partnership with Raya Auto. For Raya, this trajectory suggests that the end of the project is actually the starting line for a more integrated, tech-led transformation of the Egyptian market.