By : Wael Elgafary
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is set to host the 10th edition of "Techne Summit Alexandria" from 5th to 8th October, under the theme "10 Years of Connecting The Right People", celebrating a full decade of fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
The summit is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), the Digital Economy and Technology General Division (DETGD), the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC), the platinum sponsor TrianglZ LLC, the gold sponsor Edventures, the silver sponsor, The Swedish Embassy in Cairo, and the main organizer “Markade”.
The 10th edition of Techne Summit is anticipated to witness a massive turnout of over 40,000 participants from experts, entrepreneurs, and youth from all over the world, including more than 200 investors ready to support promising projects, and over 1,000 startups showcasing their latest innovations. This reinforces Techne Summit's position as the largest international event in the Mediterranean region focused on investment, technology, and entrepreneurship, aiming to connect entrepreneurs and startups with investors and major companies, and provide an ideal platform for exchanging ideas, sharing knowledge, and forging partnerships.
The summit will feature over 80 panel discussions and 100 interactive workshops, covering the latest technological innovations, investment opportunities in startups, and challenges facing the investment and entrepreneurship scene in the region, with the participation of a distinguished group of global, regional, and Egyptian experts, headed by Mr. Mahmoud Badawi, Advisor to the ICT Minister on DX Affairs, Dr. Tarek Shawki, the Former Minister of Education, Ms. Mai Farid, Executive Director of the Universal Health Insurance Authority, Ms. Dalia Ibrahim, CEO of Nahdet Misr Publishing House and Founder of Edventures, Mr. Mohamed Al Rasbi, Managing Director at Oman Technology Fund, Mr. Ahmed Al Gabry, Head of Government Relations and Social Performance Manager at Shell, Ms. Jennifer Schoeberlein, Partner, ESG & Impact at Sawari Ventures, renowned actor Mahmoud Hemeda and Khaled Hemeda, alongside other prominent figures.
For his part, Håkan Emsgård, the Swedish Ambassador to Cairo, commented: “I am very pleased to attend Techne Summit Alexandria 2024 this October, celebrating a decade of innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration across the Mediterranean. The Embassy of Sweden in Cairo is proud to have been a partner of Techne Summit since its inception, and we are thrilled to see this event grow and thrive. Sweden has always been a pioneer in technology and sustainable development, we’re proud to support this summit and vibrant ecosystem it fosters. We are excited to sponsor this year's competition under the theme: Gaming— Gaming is not just entertainment; it is a field driving creativity, education, and economic growth, and we see great opportunities for collaboration between Egypt and Sweden in this field.” He added: “As we look to the future, we aim to strengthen our partnerships, especially in areas such as artificial intelligence, technology, and now gaming through leading Swedish companies like Ericsson, Smart Eye, and AstraZeneca. I look forward to another decade of success for Techne Summit, which represents the transformative power of innovation, and to continued collaboration that benefits our communities and economies.”
In this regard, Eng. Tarek El Kady, Co-Founder and CEO of Techne Summit for Technology and Entrepreneurship, stated: "Today, we celebrate a decade of innovation and fruitful collaboration that has contributed to empowering entrepreneurs and supporting startups. This exceptional edition of Techne Summit continues to redefine the technology and entrepreneurship landscape, fostering innovation and cooperation in Egypt and beyond. It represents a unique platform to unleash creativity and a nurturing ground for innovative ideas that address societal challenges, driven by the vision of our youth, entrepreneurs, and startups, to contribute to advancing innovation and the growth of the digital economy in Egypt and the region, and also provides ideal opportunities for brilliant minds to meet." He added: "We are confident that this summit will generate new job opportunities and develop innovative solutions that help build a better future and strengthen Egypt's position as a regional hub for technology and entrepreneurship."
This edition of the summit is a special occasion as it marks the 10th anniversary of Techne Summit's launch in Alexandria. It promises to be an exceptional edition due to the wide range of events and activities it will witness, reflecting its growth and development. This year's summit will explore a range of promising sectors and feature the latest advancements across ten different tracks, including marketing and advertising technology, startup innovation, Ed-Tech , FinTech, Health tech, supportive technology, e-commerce, investment, gaming technology, and corporate innovation, in addition to two competitions for entrepreneurial projects.
Techne Summit represents an exceptional story of growth, innovation, and dedication to promoting technological progress since its inception in Alexandria in 2015, as it has come a long way to become a global event that unites entrepreneurs, investors, and startups under one roof. Starting its journey as a small gathering of 900 participants, Techne has since expanded to launch multiple impactful initiatives such as Techne Drifts and Techne's Corporate Innovation Program. In 2022, Techne Summit achieved another milestone by launching Techne Summit in Cairo, reflecting its commitment to expanding its influence and driving innovation.
In 2023, the summit proved its ability to attract global attention and set a new record by attracting over 35,000 participants, 1,000 startups, 400 speakers, 200 investors, and 180 exhibitors from 70 countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the UK, the US, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Jordan, Croatia, and Algeria. This record-breaking attendance clearly reflects the summit's growing role in enhancing international cooperation in the field of technology and entrepreneurship and its increasing impact on the region's technological ecosystem.
