Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly recently reviewed the progress of the Alliance and Development initiative, a presidential program designed to bolster entrepreneurship and innovation across the country. In a meeting with Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the latest results were presented, highlighting the initiative’s impact on creating regional innovation hubs.
The program aligns with Egypt’s National Strategy for Higher Education and Scientific Research 2030, aiming to support innovation, generate new employment opportunities, and maximize economic impact by fostering collaboration between universities, industrial institutions, and entrepreneurs.
A Strategic Push for Regional Innovation
The Alliance and Development initiative focuses on establishing specialized regional alliances that bring together key ecosystem players. These include higher education institutions, scientific research centers, industrial companies, entrepreneurs, investors, and relevant government agencies.
The core objective is to create powerful engines for economic growth in high-potential sectors. By forming these collaborative clusters, the initiative aims to facilitate the launch of successful startups, increase the market’s capacity for innovation, and support training and development programs tailored to regional needs.
Overwhelming Ecosystem Response
The call for participation drew significant interest from across Egypt’s startup and industrial landscape. Over 100 alliances applied for support and funding, comprising 808 individual members and 560 distinct entities.
The participating alliances represent a wide array of critical economic sectors, including Information Technology, Construction, Tourism, Education, Energy, Health, Automotive, Agriculture, and Electronics. Numerous government bodies, including ministries and governorates, also joined as members to provide integrated support for the proposed projects.
Funding and Selection
The initiative has a total funding pool of EGP 1 billion dedicated to supporting developmental research and innovation projects. Each selected alliance is eligible to receive funding ranging from EGP 90 million to EGP 150 million.
The selection process for funding was based on rigorous evaluation criteria for the technical proposals submitted. Key factors included the economic viability, creativity, and execution capability of each project, as well as its potential to deliver a tangible impact on regional development.
Initial Results and Winning Projects
Minister Ashour announced the initial results of the program, revealing that 18 universities have been selected to execute nine applied projects. These projects will be implemented in collaboration with 48 industrial partners across various economic and developmental fields. This first cohort of winners underscores the initiative’s effectiveness in bridging the gap between scientific research and the practical needs of the local market and industry.
About The Alliance and Development Initiative
The Alliance and Development initiative is a presidential program in Egypt managed under the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. It aims to stimulate regional economic development by creating and funding specialized alliances between academia, industry, entrepreneurs, and government bodies. With a total fund of EGP 1 billion, the initiative supports innovative projects to foster job creation and enhance Egypt’s competitive edge in key sectors.
Source: Al Eqaria
