Ahmed Al-Zaher, CEO of the Information Technology Industry Development Authority (ITIDA), discussed the leading and distinguished role that the authority plays in supporting entrepreneurship and creating a conducive environment for startups in Egypt, in line with the strategy of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology that aims to empower entrepreneurs and foster the growth of the emerging technology companies sector in Egypt. Al-Zaher said that the authority's services and programs cover all stages of the entrepreneurship ecosystem, starting from raising awareness and spreading the culture of entrepreneurship, especially among students, through incubation and acceleration services for technology companies, to market penetration and networking entrepreneurs with investors. Al-Zaher pointed out that the authority trained 11,000 entrepreneurs in 2023 alone, at the Egypt Digital Depository Centers (Creativa), which are located across the country, and which currently provide a range of services and programs for about 400 emerging technology companies. He added that the authority sponsors various initiatives that aim primarily at stimulating and enhancing the entrepreneurship environment based on innovation and technological creativity, as the authority provides programs tailored for specific groups, such as programs targeting female entrepreneurs, such as the "She is a Pioneer" program, as well as programs for incubating and sponsoring emerging companies in deep technology fields. Al-Zaher explained that cooperation with international and local companies is an important element in the authority's work plans, as it partners with many companies to support the emerging companies sector, citing the authority's cooperation with an international company in establishing a center for creativity in the fields of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in the Knowledge City in the New Administrative Capital, which will be announced soon. This came during his participation in the main session of the Techni Summit at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, which was held from 7 to 10 October under the auspices of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, ITIDA, the General Division for Digital Economy and Technology (DETGD), and the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce. The authority sponsors the participation of 20 emerging companies, including 10 exhibiting companies under the authority's pavilion and the Technological Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (TIEC) at the summit, in addition to supporting the participation and visit of 10 emerging companies to the summit activities with the aim of networking and communicating with potential investors for their innovative projects. On the sidelines of his participation in the summit activities, Ahmed Al-Zaher, CEO of ITIDA, met with a group of ambassadors from TIEC, where he praised their efforts and distinguished services and emphasized the importance of their role in enhancing the authority's role and achieving its goals in spreading the culture and tools of entrepreneurship and creative thinking and increasing interaction and integration between the various elements of the entrepreneurship ecosystem at the national level. The ninth edition of the Techne Alexandria Summit will witness more than 80 discussion sessions and 50 interactive workshops, covering the latest innovations in the field of technology, investment opportunities in emerging companies, and challenges facing the investment and entrepreneurship scene in the region, with the participation of an elite group of prominent experts and investors at the regional and global levels. The Techni Summit is the leading event for investment and startups in the Mediterranean region, and a large group of entrepreneurs and investors from about 40 countries participate in this year's summit. The summit also hosts more than 300 speakers, including 220 investors, 145 emerging and exhibiting companies, and a group of experts, as well as UN Women, UNDP, and many others.
