The move aims to accelerate innovation and strengthen Egypt’s competitiveness in electronics design and manufacturing.
The alliance is spearheaded by AUC’s Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Onsi Sawiris School of Business, in partnership with the Nanotechnology and Nanoelectronics Centre at the School of Sciences and Engineering. AUC President Ahmed Dallal recently signed a cooperation protocol with the ministry, marking the official launch of the alliance.
Egypt’s startup ecosystem has seen strong growth over the past decade, which has been attributed to support by national strategies such as Egypt Vision 2030, rapid population growth, and rising venture capital investment. However, deep-tech startups continue to face significant challenges, including high risk levels and the need for substantial capital, specialized equipment, skilled talent, and expert support. The DTS alliance seeks to bridge these gaps by bringing together key stakeholders to build an integrated ecosystem and position Egypt as a regional hub for electronics innovation.
The Invest with Confidence – DTS alliance brings together nine local partners representing academia, the public and private sectors, investors, and enabling organizations, including AUC’s Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and Nanotechnology and Nanoelectronics Center, Zagazig University, El Araby Group, startup EMASS, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), investors Flat6Labs, and DEN VC, as well as enabling partners Startup Factory Venture Studio and Meska AI.
The alliance’s objectives include localizing electronics design and manufacturing to support import substitution, boost exports, build industry-ready capabilities, and promote innovation through hackathons. It also aims to develop industry-aligned academic curricula, advance artificial intelligence applications in electronics, facilitate intellectual property development, and support startups’ integration into existing and new markets, as well as encourage research-based spin-offs and attract foreign direct investment.
Yehia Ismail, Director of AUC’s Nanotechnology and Nanoelectronics Centre, said the alliance responds to an urgent need in Egypt’s technology landscape, stressing that it goes beyond software development to strengthen the country’s capabilities in electronic hardware design and development. “We have worked with regional partners in this field, and the time has come to scale this experience at home, while enabling the private sector to compete globally and attract foreign direct investment,” he said.
Hala Barakat, Director of AUC’s Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, described the “Alliance and Development” initiative as a strategic opportunity to mobilize a wide range of stakeholders around a national priority. She said AUC has built strong internal and external partnerships to support innovation in Egypt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and unlock the commercial potential of academic research.
Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Ayman Ashour stated that the presidential “Alliance and Development” initiative reflects the state’s commitment to innovation, driven by collaboration between higher education institutions and industry. He added that the initiative aims to harness research and entrepreneurial capabilities to build competitive economic sectors, noting that the selected alliances demonstrate the strength of multi-sector partnerships in driving sustainable development.
Manufacturing is one of five priority sectors Egypt plans to boost under its new economic narrative. The country aims to increase its GDP to seven percent by 2030, creating 1.5 million new jobs, and raising the value of its exports by 20 percent annually.
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