El Gouna - 26 September 2025: The third edition of the Entlaq Summit officially kicked off in El Gouna with the launch of the Egyptian Entrepreneurship Sector Diagnostic Report (SDR 2025).
The event is held under the auspices of the Ministerial Group for Entrepreneurship, in cooperation with the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, along with the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority.
In a recorded address, Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, highlighted the role of entrepreneurship in Egypt’s broader development vision.
She emphasized that the Egypt Startup Charter aims to empower more than 5,000 startups and create 500,000 jobs over the next five years, with the full support of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. “
Through this initiative, the state seeks to build an innovation-driven economy and reinforce Egypt’s position as a regional and global leader,” she said.
The summit has drawn strong private sector backing, with EgyptAir, Talabat, and Keheilan Asset Management joining as platinum sponsors, while e& Egypt, Flat6Labs, Sawari Ventures, and Dar El Nahda participated as gold sponsors.
Organizers stressed that this range of support reflects the diversity of contributions shaping Egypt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, from technology and venture capital to cultural and media institutions.
The event convenes senior government officials, entrepreneurs, investors, financial institutions, and ecosystem players, including accelerators, incubators, and experts in technology, innovation, and sustainable development.
It serves as a platform to exchange knowledge, showcase success stories, and explore opportunities in Egypt’s rapidly evolving startup landscape.
Central to the summit was the release of SDR 2025, Entlaq’s flagship report, which provides an evidence-based analysis of the entrepreneurial economy. The report underscores entrepreneurship as a driver of gross domestic product (GDP) growth, resilience, inclusivity, and innovation. It also examines persistent challenges, including a $1 billion funding gap, regulatory barriers, and structural disparities, while presenting reform pathways and actionable solutions.
Omar Rezk, Managing Director of Entlaq, described the summit as a pivotal platform at a time of economic transformation. “With investments in startups declining from $608 million in 2023 to $334 million in 2024, and Egypt’s share of regional venture capital funding dropping from 25 percent in 2021 to 11 percent in 2024, this summit is about restoring confidence and charting a reform-driven future,” he said.
He added that the report reflects insights from more than 400 surveys and 15 in-depth interviews with investors and regulators, and highlighted the need for greater inclusion: “Although women account for 38 percent of founders, they received just 1.3 percent of total investment deals in 2023–2024, and no more than 2 percent in the first half of 2025. Bridging this gap is essential to achieving inclusive growth.”
The summit’s agenda includes four panel discussions on critical issues, ranging from macroeconomic reform and investment drivers to addressing capital shortages.
Entlaq, a leading think tank, continues to play a central role in shaping the entrepreneurship landscape across Africa and the Middle East. By promoting innovation and empowering entrepreneurs, it seeks to cement the region’s role as a global hub for entrepreneurship and growth.
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