Eng. Ahmed Elzaher, CEO of the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), highlighted Egypt's rapid growth in outsourcing and the tech startup ecosystem on a tour by Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly and Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Dr. Amr Talaat visiting the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology's booth at Cairo ICT 2024.
Elzaher outlined ITIDA's strategic focus on transforming Egypt into a global outsourcing and technology innovation hub, with initiatives aimed at growing the industry, cultivating tech talents and digital skills, and reinforcing Egypt's competitiveness on the global stage. Egypt's digital exports have surged to $6.2 billion in 2023, reflecting a substantial 26.5% growth from $4.9 billion in 2022.
ITIDA's efforts to attract global players to invest in Egypt are yielding remarkable results, as the country's outsourcing exports grew from $2.4 billion to $3.7 billion in the past year. El Zaher attributed this growth to Egypt's unique value proposition in outsourcing, including a highly skilled, multilingual, and cost-effective workforce positioned to serve global markets across diverse tech disciplines.
"Egypt offers one of the most competitive outsourcing environments globally," said Elzaher. "Our commitment is to create an ecosystem that not only attracts investment but also fosters innovation and job creation. ITIDA's focus extends beyond traditional tech roles to include job opportunities across various fields, enhancing Egypt's position as a prime destination for digital and IT services," Elzaher added.
Elzaher also highlighted ITIDA's end-to-end support for startups and entrepreneurship in Egypt. The agency's programs cover every phase of the entrepreneurial journey, from student engagement and idea validation to product development and scaling through partnerships with global companies.
Additionally, ITIDA provides opportunities to network with investors, support at international exhibitions and forums, and simplified regulatory procedures to encourage business establishment and growth, all of which are contributing to Egypt's global prominence as a startup destination.
Throughout Cairo ICT, ITIDA is showcasing a range of cutting-edge initiatives:
• On Day 1, the Software Engineering Competence Center (SECC) presented the latest in generative AI and software engineering, illustrating Egypt's readiness to lead in AI advancements.
• Day 2 focuses on ITIDA's strategic programs for ICT growth, including the "Export IT" program, the ITAC initiative fostering industry-academia collaboration, and the Presidential "Egypt Makes Electronics" (EME) initiative. EME seeks to establish Egypt as a central player in electronics manufacturing, increase exports, and reduce imports of electronic and electrical products.
• On Day 3, ITIDA spotlights its efforts to expand digital signature services, enhancing operational efficiency for businesses and advancing the quality of digital services for citizens and government operations alike.
• On Day 4, ITIDA emphasizes its support for startups and entrepreneurs, including StartIT incubation program and key initiatives from Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (TIEC).
Through these efforts, ITIDA continues to strengthen Egypt's position as a dynamic hub for business services and IT offshore reliable destination, as well as its entrepreneurial success, making the country a top choice for global tech investments and partnerships
