Egypt has climbed five places to 35th out of 53 economies in the 2025/2026 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor index, but startup activity remains heavily concentrated in Cairo, according to a new report from the Cabinet’s Information and Decision Support Center.
Cairo accounts for around 90% of Egypt’s startups, with an estimated 632 companies. The other 26 governorates, despite being home to roughly 100 million people, account for the remaining 10%, highlighting the geographic imbalance in the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Egypt also ranked 65th out of 118 countries in StartupBlink’s 2026 global startup ecosystem index, up 16 places over six years. Cairo is described as one of North Africa’s leading startup hubs and includes a startup valued at more than $1B. Its ecosystem recorded annual growth of 0.7% in 2025.
The report linked Egypt’s progress to its large domestic market, graduate talent, improving digital readiness, online government services and support programs for small and medium-sized businesses. Around 47% of Egyptians not currently involved in entrepreneurship said they intend to start a business within three years.
The government is targeting 5,000 startups, 500,000 direct and indirect jobs, and $5B in venture capital investment under Egypt Vision 2030. Reaching those goals will require broader access to funding, incubators and advisory services outside Cairo.
Source: Alaraby
