By : Wael Elhoseny

Committed to empowering, connecting, and investing in startups, Plug and Play Egypt, global corporate innovation platform, and Egypt’s ITIDA, the executive IT arm of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, have officially announced the latest founding partner for the Smart Cities open innovation platform in Cairo.

Global innovation enabler, Plug and Play, along with the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) have announced their partnership with the USAID Economic Governance Activity, to launch an open innovation platform for startups focusing on digital transformation, and bring the unrivaled tech expertise of Silicon Valley to Cairo.

Applications are now open for Plug and Play Egypt’s Smart Cities hub. Startups accepted will be part of the very first batch of the 3-month in-person program starting in March 2022. The ventures team of Plug and Play and executives from both founding partners will select 20-30 Egypt based companies that will go through batch 1, a program spanning over two tracks: Incubation and acceleration.

“We’re delighted to open the call for entries to our Smart Cities innovation hub in Egypt. The startup scene in Africa and Egypt is growing by leaps and bounds, and we’re thrilled to partake in this dynamic and support future-forward ideas and solutions by creating an enabling environment for tech- and innovation-driven projects in the region.” said Aziz El Hachem, Director of Plug and Play Egypt.

During the three-month program, startups will receive free office space at the Creativa Innovation Hub in Sultan Hussein Kamel Palace in Cairo, where they will have the opportunity to meet and create business opportunities with top tier Egyptian corporations, investors and mentors. Other benefits include access to Plug and Play’s global network, coaching by local and international mentors and advisors, corporate workshops, frequent pitch events and a large-scale Demo Day pitch event for their graduation. For non-Egyptian startups joining the program, Plug and Play’s ecosystem will make it easier to find the right partners to expand their business in the region.

There is no equity or capital requirement for startup participation and potential investment will be decided on between Plug and Play, the partners, and the startups individually. As part of the platform’s mission, Plug and Play Egypt and its founding partners have defined key verticals and tech focuses of interest. Startups with solutions in Fintech, Logistics, Govtech, and Healthcare should apply before February 28th: https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/cairo/#apply

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