ITIDA, Plug and Play support 61 Upper Egypt startups, unlock $3.7M in funding

• Egypt’s Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), in partnership with Plug and Play, has supported 61 startups in Upper Egypt through the Aswan Bootcamp Series.
• Participating startups have collectively secured $3.7 million (EGP 200 million) in investments, reflecting growing investor interest beyond Cairo.
• Launched in November 2024 with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the programme aimed to support around 60 tech startups through intensive bootcamps.
• Despite the halt of external funding, ITIDA stepped in as sole funder, ensuring programme continuity and completion.
• The initiative combines technical training, expert mentorship, and ecosystem access, helping startups refine products and scale.
• ITIDA plans to expand similar programmes to the Nile Delta, reinforcing a strategy to build a geographically inclusive startup ecosystem across Egypt.

Press release:

The Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), in partnership with Plug and Play, has successfully concluded the Aswan Bootcamp Series, supporting 61 startups across Upper Egypt and enabling participating companies to secure a combined $3.7 million in investments.

Launched in November 2024 in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development, the programme was designed to foster entrepreneurship beyond Cairo by equipping early-stage startups with technical training, mentorship, and access to industry networks. Despite the suspension of external funding, ITIDA ensured the programme’s continuity by stepping in as the sole funder.

The bootcamp followed an intensive model combining hands-on training with expert guidance, helping startups refine their business models, strengthen product-market fit, and prepare for fundraising. The results are already evident, with participating companies securing $3.7 million in investments, signalling growing momentum in Upper Egypt’s startup ecosystem.

Looking ahead, ITIDA plans to expand similar initiatives to the Nile Delta as part of a broader strategy to decentralise innovation and create a more geographically inclusive technology ecosystem. The initiative aligns with Egypt’s long-term vision of enabling startups to emerge and scale from across the country, rather than being concentrated in major urban centres.