Basel Rahmy, Chief Executive Officer of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), affirmed that the Agency is intensifying coordination with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that innovators and start-ups receive comprehensive support. This includes cooperation with government entities, civil society organisations, research centres, universities, the private sector, and international institutions to provide financing, technical assistance, and support in securing the necessary documentation and approvals for entrepreneurial projects. Rahmy made these remarks during an extended meeting held at MSMEDA's headquarters with 15 entrepreneurs, start-up founders, and innovators leading a range of emerging ventures. The meeting was attended by Raafat Abbas, General Supervisor of Development Programmes at MSMEDA, Mohamed Medhat, Deputy CEO, along with several sector heads. The meeting formed part of a series of ongoing engagements organised by the Agency with owners of innovative and start-up projects that rely on advanced technologies in production and in the delivery of industrial, agricultural, and training services. Participants represented diverse sectors, including solar energy, agricultural technology, environmental technology, education, recycling and wood manufacturing from waste, as well as training and employment platforms. The meeting also brought together several winners and participants in the "Startup Power" competition, which has been organised for several years by MSMEDA in cooperation with the Abu Hashima Al-Khair Foundation. Rahmy explained that these regular meetings aim to identify the needs and challenges facing micro, small, and medium enterprises, enabling the Agency to address them in coordination with relevant state entities. He noted that this approach supports the development and expansion of these projects, maximises their economic value, enhances their marketing capabilities both locally and internationally, and facilitates their integration into the formal economy. This, in turn, allows them to benefit from laws, incentives, and advantages introduced by the State to support entrepreneurship. During the discussions, Rahmy reviewed the participants' projects and listened to the main challenges they encounter, particularly those related to marketing, patent activation, expansion into global markets, export opportunities, supply chain development, networking with government institutions supporting entrepreneurship, access to financing mechanisms, and the establishment of small-scale factories as an alternative to fragmented outsourcing arrangements. He stressed that MSMEDA's doors remain open to all citizens and young innovators, in line with the directives of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Chairperson of MSMEDA's Board of Directors, which place the support of innovative entrepreneurship among the Agency's top priorities. Rahmy also highlighted that MSMEDA is a member of the ministerial group tasked with supporting entrepreneurs, chaired by Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation. Through this role, the Agency collaborates with various ministries and concerned entities to promote integration among stakeholders and to build a comprehensive and supportive entrepreneurship ecosystem in Egypt. In closing, Rahmy reaffirmed MSMEDA's commitment to providing all forms of support to young entrepreneurs, helping them realise their growth ambitions, regularise their legal status, and obtain the approvals required to launch and scale their businesses. He directed the relevant sector heads to follow up on financial and technical support mechanisms for innovative projects and to coordinate with the authorities responsible for overseeing these activities. During the meeting, start-up founders presented their projects, outlined their expansion plans, and identified the support required from MSMEDA and other state institutions to ensure the sustainability and growth of their ventures.
