Egypt’s Tagaddod Secures $26 Million to Expand Clean-Tech Operations in the UAE and Africa
Egyptian clean-tech startup Tagaddod is gearing up for regional expansion in the UAE and across Africa after raising $26.3 million in a funding round concluded in late September. The round attracted investors from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the Netherlands, Africa, and Japan, according to Nour El Assal, Co-founder and CEO of Tagaddod, in an interview with Asharq News.
Regional Expansion Strategy
El Assal revealed that Tagaddod currently operates collection points in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, alongside a storage hub in the Netherlands, which serves as the main distribution center where collected materials are reprocessed into biofuel. The company also runs a pilot facility in Vienna and plans to expand soon into the UAE and several African markets.
Regulating the Used Oil Market
Egypt’s Ministry of Environment recently introduced new regulations governing the licensing of companies involved in the collection, transport, and export of used cooking oil, aimed at ensuring better oversight and integrated waste management. Under the new system, only companies with the proper tools and logistics for safe collection and storage will be granted licenses.
A Decade of Growth
Founded in Cairo in 2013, Tagaddod exported its first biofuel shipment to Europe in 2016. The company has since pivoted toward technology-driven waste oil collection solutions and continues to post steady growth in operations and sales, according to El Assal.
Market Challenges and Opportunities
El Assal highlighted that Egypt’s household-based cooking culture limits the volume of recoverable oil, representing just 3–4% of total consumption, compared to 14–15% in other markets. He pointed out that fragmentation and weak governance remain key challenges for the industry in Egypt, given its relative novelty.
Conversely, Gulf countries record much higher levels of collectable oil due to the dominance of restaurant-based consumption, making collection more efficient. “Saudi Arabia is witnessing rapid expansion in this field,” El Assal said, adding that Tagaddod aims to strengthen its presence there while preparing to enter new markets across the Middle East and Africa.
Investing in Clean Technology
The company plans to channel its new capital into advancing its collection and processing technologies, upgrading storage and aggregation facilities, and improving operational efficiency across its regional hubs. “These investments will enhance our capacity to meet the growing global demand for clean fuel,” El Assal affirmed.