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Orange Egypt has outlined a series of initiatives aimed at accelerating startup development and expanding opportunities for young entrepreneurs during its participation in the third Global Entrepreneurship Festival (GEF), being held in Egypt for the first time under the patronage of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

Under the festival's theme, "The World We Help Create," the company presented its approach to developing digital talent, supporting innovative businesses and strengthening Egypt's entrepreneurship landscape.

The company's CEO and Managing Director, Hisham Mehran, participated in a panel titled "Global Impact Beyond Success: Transforming the Economy, Empowering Humanity and Building a Lasting Legacy."

The panel brought together business leaders and entrepreneurs, including Amazon Egypt General Manager Omar El-Sahy, Swvl Founder and CEO Mostafa Kandil, Mountain View Founder and Chairman Amr Soliman, Al Salem Holding Group Chairman Bahaa Salem, and PwC Nigeria Partner Cyril Azobu. Entrepreneur and Business بالعربي founder Ahmed Rashad moderated the discussion.

Expanding Digital Skills Development Nationwide

Mehran announced that Orange Egypt is targeting 200,000 trainees as part of its efforts to equip young people with the skills needed to succeed in the evolving labor market.

He explained that Orange Digital Centers (ODCs) in Cairo and Aswan are central to this strategy, with the company preparing to establish another center in Alexandria while expanding its activities across the Delta and Red Sea regions.

The centers are designed to train students and graduates, nurture promising ideas and provide opportunities for innovative projects to develop into viable businesses.

New AI Accelerator to Support Innovative Businesses

As part of its commitment to entrepreneurship, Orange Egypt is preparing to introduce an AI Accelerator aimed at speeding up the development and implementation of innovative ideas.

Mehran also highlighted the company's role in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises through digital platforms, noting that digital transformation is a key foundation for improving their operations and supporting their contribution to economic growth.

He further disclosed that Orange Egypt has a commitment to invest €25 million in startups before the Egyptian government, contributing to the development of the country's startup and SME ecosystem.

Smart Home Project Highlights IoT Opportunities

Discussing innovation beyond the major technology hubs, Mehran referred to a project he encountered during a recent visit to Aswan.

The initiative focuses on Internet of Things (IoT) applications for smart homes, and Orange Egypt has expressed its readiness to help produce the project's prototype and provide suitable development spaces.

The company also intends to support the marketing of such prototypes alongside partners, including Mountain View, with the aim of connecting emerging innovators with actual market requirements.

Empowering Entrepreneurs and Building Sustainable Impact

Mehran shared insights from his personal career journey, highlighting that he comes from Upper Egypt and received an ordinary education. He identified vision, responsibility and ownership, empowering others, and creating meaningful change as four fundamental pillars of success.

He also pointed to Swvl's founder Mostafa Kandil as an entrepreneurial example whose success Orange hopes to see replicated in Egypt.

Offering advice to aspiring business owners, Mehran stressed the importance of learning from setbacks, starting again and focusing on creating a lasting impact.

As a direct step toward supporting emerging businesses, he announced that Orange Egypt's booth at the festival would be open to startups interested in presenting their ideas. The company pledged full support to projects that capture its attention.

The Global Entrepreneurship Festival brings together entrepreneurs, startups, established companies, investors and development partners, creating opportunities for cooperation and investment.

Through its participation, Orange Egypt is reinforcing its strategy of turning innovative ideas into sustainable business ventures while contributing to the development of Egypt's digital economy and entrepreneurship ecosystem.