Alexandria, Egypt — Global innovation platform Plug and Play has officially launched the first cohort of its Venture Ready investment readiness program in Alexandria, marking the beginning of a regional initiative aimed at strengthening startup ecosystems beyond Egypt’s capital.
Developed in partnership with GIZ Egypt, Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), and the Creativa Innovation Hubs, the program is designed to prepare early-stage startups from the Delta and Canal governorates for fundraising and scalable growth.
The initiative will be delivered through three consecutive cohorts in Alexandria, Menoufia, and Ismailia, extending support to founders across neighboring governorates. The inaugural cohort in Alexandria brings together 17 startups from the Delta region.
The program officially opened at the Creativa Innovation Hub in Alexandria with remarks from Hania Tarek, Country Manager of Plug and Play Egypt, Maie El-Mahdy, Digital Transformation and Innovation Advisor at GIZ, and Tarek Badr, Project Manager at ITIDA.
Participants also attended a Founders’ Circle session featuring Ibrahim Hassan, founder of Plug and Play portfolio company Digified, who shared practical insights from his entrepreneurial journey and fundraising experience.
Throughout the coming months, participating founders will receive mentorship, investment readiness training, and strategic guidance to help prepare their startups for engagement with investors.
Why It Matters
While much of Egypt’s startup activity has traditionally been concentrated in Cairo, programs like Venture Ready signal a broader effort to decentralize innovation and unlock entrepreneurial potential across the country’s emerging regional ecosystems. By expanding access to mentorship, networks, and investment preparation, the initiative aims to create stronger pipelines of venture-ready startups from cities that have historically received less attention from investors.
As global accelerators continue to deepen their presence in MENA, regional ecosystem development is becoming an increasingly important driver of the next generation of high-growth startups.
