The first startup was Untap, a Cairo-based Software as a Service (SaaS) technology startup that provides a platform for managing innovation, hackathons, startup competitions, and talent scouting. It aims to streamline the process of launching, managing, and judging open innovation initiatives.
On the other hand, the second startup, Tijara Hub, is a business-to-business (B2B) wholesale marketplace that facilitates bulk, stock, and carton quantity purchasing of locally made products in Egypt and Turkey. Tijara offers a digital platform to provide fast fulfillment and tailored logistics services.
Moreover, the SelectUSA Tech Competition helps support technology-based startups that hope to expand their business into the US technology market, connecting them with local investors, providing market entry guidance, and bringing in foreign investment into the country.
It runs under the US Department of Commerce’s SelectUSA programme and helps to facilitate business investments that create jobs in the United States. It has helped create and sustain over 200,000 jobs in the US.
Companies eligible to participate in the summit must be based outside of the US, develop a technology-based product or service, and self-fund their travels and entry to the summit. Firms must also be considered actual startups, have been founded less than 10 years ago, and have under 40 employees, with revenues not exceeding $10 million.
The two startups received the opportunity at the SelectUSA Tech Demo Competition, hosted by the American University in Cairo’s (AUC) Venture Lab. The SelectUSA Investment Summit will be held in Maryland, the US, on 3–6 May 2026.
Furthermore, Egypt has been bolstering its efforts to provide legal and regulatory support for the startup sector, starting with the recently launched Startup Charter, which includes a definition of startups and a package of facilitations, incentives, permits, licenses, and legislative amendments needed.
The charter aims to support 5,000 startups, expand access to international markets, and create around 500,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) accounted for 90 percent of Egypt’s private sector in 2024, contributing 43 percent of GDP and employing 75 percent of the workforce.
In 2025, Egyptian startups attracted $614 million in funding through direct investments and debt financing, marking a 51 percent increase from 2024.
Egypt aims to raise the private sector’s contribution to 72 percent of total investment by 2030 and has established advisory committees to strengthen government and private sector collaboration.
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