The first business incubator in Alexandria, “Startups of Alex”, will launch its activities next Thursday. The programme, organized by ICE Alex, will offer guidance and consulting sessions for startup companies, aiming to enhance their impact on the entrepreneurship community and provide additional support. The ceremony will witness the graduation of 37 startup companies, in the presence of investors and prominent figures in the field of entrepreneurship.
The Startups of Alex programme aims to connect startups with partners, mentors, investors, co-working spaces, and innovation and technology centers in Alexandria and the Delta. It follows its vision to empower entrepreneurs and provide a suitable environment that enables them to transform their innovative ideas into real projects. Ahmed Bastawi, CEO of Ice Alex, said that the “Startups of Alex” program attracted a large group of entrepreneurs and innovators, who participated strongly in this session. He added that many ideas were presented that provide easy solutions to various challenges, especially in the fields of health, education, and others. He emphasized Ice Alex’s commitment to providing full support and assistance to entrepreneurs, based on its belief in the potential of this sector in achieving economic growth.
The programme focuses on supporting entrepreneurs and startup owners by providing comprehensive technical and advisory support. The program also pays special attention to supporting female entrepreneurs through the “Women Entrepreneurship League” program, which works to empower women to build their capacities and transform their ideas into real businesses that create job opportunities and provide innovative solutions to social problems.
It is worth noting that “Ice Alex” launched the first platform for business incubators for startup companies in Alexandria and the Delta in 2016, and expanded its work to more than 10 governorates, and supported more than 10,000 entrepreneurs, including 54% of women, through more than 107 courses. Through its Startups of Alex program over the past years, it increased its revenues by approximately 35%. These companies created more than 4,200 jobs and received total investments worth more than EGP 10m, in addition to raising the level of companies and winning them in local and international competitions.
Among the companies that won in several local and international forums is Insucare, which is an application that helps diabetics who need to use insulin pumps daily to regulate blood glucose levels and reduce the risk of complications. It won first place in the Al-Forsa program with the Lamis Al-Hadidi award worth EGP 250,000. GGEG Company, which is a startup company that provides solutions and services to the growing electronic sports community in Egypt, also participated and organized the Parallel Union League for electronic teams and clubs in a rally competition in the city of New Alamein and won the first place and received a prize of EGP 100,000. Techy School, a leader in the field of educational technology specializing in programming, computer science, and information technology, was accepted into the EdVentures business incubator, Nahdet Misr.
Ice Alex has been active in more than 20 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, and the organization has provided vital support to more than 2,000 male and female entrepreneurs through 7 specialized and innovative programs, in cooperation with prominent international organizations such as Oxfam and the AfriLabs network. The Hivos Foundation, the Technological Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (TIEC) of the Egyptian Ministry of Communications, the Federation of Egyptian Industries, the American Embassy, and other parties interested in supporting innovation and entrepreneurship.
