MCIT’s Reyada Incubator Targets Women-Led Startups as NBE Training Reaches 194 Beneficiaries
Egypt is expanding its efforts to support women in the digital economy through the “Reyada” digital incubator, an initiative led by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) to help women transform business ideas and practical challenges into technology-driven ventures.
The ministry held a coordination meeting for the incubator’s partners on October 27, in cooperation with Gulf of Suez Petroleum Company (GUPCO). Representatives from 18 organisations attended, including international institutions, government bodies, banks, research organisations and universities.
Among the participants were the United Nations Development Programme, the International Labour Organization, the National Council for Women, the Upper Egypt Development Authority, Banque du Caire, the Agricultural Research Centre and Misr Public Libraries.
From Digital Training to Business Creation
Reyada is designed to connect women who own businesses or have entrepreneurial ideas with specialists who can use technology to develop solutions addressing market requirements and real-world challenges.
The initiative seeks to establish an integrated support system combining digital skills, entrepreneurship development and innovation. Its objective is to help participants move beyond training and turn their knowledge into productive businesses with opportunities for long-term growth.
The incubator also aims to encourage collaboration between business owners and technology professionals, supporting the development of viable business models and women-led startups.
First Cohort Focuses on the Digital Circular Economy
The first cohort will concentrate on the digital circular economy, with technology and innovation serving as tools to improve resource utilisation, minimise waste and promote reuse and recycling.
The programme will also support the development of products, services and value chains across agriculture, environmental activities, handicrafts, local manufacturing and related services.
Its implementation will involve several stages, beginning with awareness and participant selection, followed by training and capacity-building. Hackathons and applied activities will bring together teams with commercial, production and technical expertise.
Selected ventures will subsequently receive incubation services, technical support and specialised mentoring. The programme will also facilitate connections with partners and investors and help participants explore market access and expansion opportunities.
Registration for the first cohort has opened to women business owners and specialists in Cairo, Giza and Qalyubia, as well as Upper Egypt and the Red Sea Governorate.
Universities and International Organisations Join the Initiative
A discussion session held during the coordination meeting examined how circular economy opportunities can be converted into scalable women-led businesses through digital innovation.
The session, titled “How Can We Turn Circular Economy Opportunities into Women-Led Businesses with Growth and Digital Innovation Potential?”, included a representative from ESCWA. Discussions focused on technology-enabled business models, environmental and economic challenges, and opportunities for female entrepreneurs to improve competitiveness.
MCIT also distributed signed cooperation letters to representatives of universities and participating organisations, aiming to bring academic and technological expertise into the incubator's activities and link digital solutions to actual business needs.
NBE Training Programme Reaches 194 Women
Alongside the incubator, MCIT highlighted a separate online training programme organised by the Kadwa-Tech women's empowerment initiative in partnership with the National Bank of Egypt.
The programme brought together 194 women, including business owners and handicraft entrepreneurs, for training in financial inclusion and project management.
Its curriculum covered five subjects: marketing fundamentals; the marketing mix and relationship management; business finance basics; financial statements and financial analysis; and business models and legal establishment procedures.
The training is delivered under NBE’s “Women’s Renaissance” package, which aims to support female entrepreneurs, particularly in the handicrafts sector. It is also part of the non-financial services offered by the National Bank of Egypt Foundation to strengthen business owners’ skills through specialised training.
Through Reyada and its cooperation with NBE, MCIT is pursuing a broader approach to women's economic empowerment, combining digital capabilities, entrepreneurship support and institutional partnerships to help women establish businesses capable of growing and remaining sustainable.