Cairo is set to become the epicenter of artificial intelligence innovation for the Middle East and Africa with the launch of the first-ever AI Everything Summit & Exhibition. Taking place from February 11-12, 2026, at the Egypt International Exhibition Center, the landmark event will convene over 250 specialized AI startups and more than 100 investors managing assets exceeding $50 billion from over 30 countries.
Organized by GITEX, the event is held under the patronage of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and hosted by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in collaboration with the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA). The summit aims to cement Cairo’s position as a regional AI hub, accelerating the transition of intelligent technologies from experimental phases to widespread industrial and national infrastructure applications.
A Global Stage for Regional Innovation
The summit provides a pivotal platform for international startups and investors entering the regional market for the first time, using Cairo as a launchpad to deploy AI solutions across Africa and the Middle East. As global investors look beyond traditional tech hubs, the event highlights promising markets with rapid AI adoption rates. The startups featured will showcase advancements in fintech automation, enterprise AI agents, conversational intelligence, climate tech, and agritech systems.
“AI has moved beyond the hype stage and is already delivering tangible impact at scale,” said Ahmed Kousi, Co-founder and CEO of R8 Technologies, an award-winning Estonian company presenting its carbon-neutral AI platform. “The real progress comes from solving real-world problems.”
Massimo Ruvolo, Founder and CEO of Italian AI firm Altilia, added, “As the financial sector rapidly advances, the question of AI has evolved from ‘if’ to ‘how.’ The key task is to enable institutions to leverage AI in a responsible, scalable manner that delivers real value.”
Spotlight on Localized AI Solutions
A significant trend at the summit is the emergence of Arabic-language AI models designed to meet local needs. This shift emphasizes regionally adapted intelligent systems that understand local languages, dialects, and institutional realities, marking a key driver for automation and productivity across MENA.
Saudi-based Wittify.ai will showcase conversational agents supporting over 25 Arabic dialects, while Cairo-based Nanovate is set to present workflow automation platforms operating entirely in Arabic.
“With Nanovate, we are starting a movement to place the Arabic language at the heart of global innovation,” stated Ahmed Ismail, Co-founder and CEO of Nanovate. “We are building technologies that understand us, speak like us, and work to serve our region.”
Heavyweight Participants and Investors
The summit will host a powerful lineup of global AI leaders, including open-source platform Hugging Face, next-gen chipmaker Cerebras (valued at $8.1 billion), and data giant Cloudera. They will be joined by executives from Dataiku, Opay, and Tenstorrent, alongside Egypt’s own unicorns, Fawry and MNT-Halan.
Margaret Mitchell, Chief Ethics Scientist at Hugging Face, is among the key speakers and will discuss the ethical frameworks required for deploying AI systems across large-scale public infrastructures.
On the investment front, the event attracts major players actively seeking opportunities in the region. Notable attendees include Launch Africa Ventures, the continent’s most active early-stage investor; Gobi Ventures, a leading Asian VC firm; and New York-based Jedar Capital, reflecting the intensifying race to capitalize on the region’s next wave of AI growth.
Aligning with Egypt’s National Strategy
The AI Everything summit aligns directly with Egypt’s National AI Strategy 2025–2030, which focuses on accelerating talent development, promoting responsible governance, and building investment channels in priority sectors. By bringing together global startups, unicorns, investors, and government entities, the event marks a critical milestone in Egypt’s roadmap to becoming a strategic center for AI development with a far-reaching economic impact on Africa and the Middle East.
About AI Everything Middle East & Africa – Egypt
The inaugural AI Everything Middle East & Africa – Egypt 2026 takes place in Cairo from February 11-12, 2026. Held under the umbrella of GITEX GLOBAL, the world’s largest tech and AI exhibition, the event is hosted by Egypt’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology with the strategic partnership of the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA). It gathers leading tech companies, AI startups, investors, academics, and public and private sector leaders to explore AI research, practical applications, and results-driven solutions that transform industries and support Egypt’s National AI Strategy 2025-2030.
Source: FintechGate
