Minister of Communications and Information Technology Raafat Hendy has opened Valeo Egypt's AI Development Center in Smart Village. The opening ceremony was attended by Chief Executive Officer of Valeo Group Christophe Périllat, CEO of the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) Ahmed Elzaher, and Vice President of Group Technical Centers and Valeo Egypt's General Manager Tamer Aly.
Valeo Group is one of the world's leading technology companies, specializing in innovative solutions and advanced systems for the automotive and technology sectors.
This launch marks the 20th anniversary of Valeo Egypt, which has firmly established itself as a premier global hub for software development. Valeo Egypt is also the Group's largest software development center worldwide, accounting for nearly 50% of its total software output and delivering around four million R&D hours annually.
Starting with 35 engineers, the AI Development Center is set to grow to over 100 specialists in the coming period. It aims to fast-track the adoption of AI tools across Valeo's global operations and drive the development of next-generation software solutions and applications. By leveraging Egyptian talent, the Center will help strengthen Egypt's position as a hub for high-value tech development and an attractive destination for global software investment, while further advancing local expertise in AI and data science.
In addition, the Center will develop innovative AI-powered mobility solutions, including electric vehicles, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and smart in-vehicle lighting systems.
The opening comes at a time of rapid global transformation in the automotive sector, fueled by AI advanced technologies. The company seeks to reinforce its leadership in smart mobility solutions by boosting productivity and developing advanced tools that serve as a key pillar in the future of mobility software.
In his remarks, the ICT Minister emphasized that the opening of Valeo's AI Development Center for the automotive industry highlights Egypt's success in fostering a premier environment for ICT investment. He added that it also underscores the confidence of international companies in Egypt's investment climate and further strengthens the country's position as a hub for developing and exporting advanced tech solutions.
The ICT Minister added that the Center is the culmination of a successful 20-year investment journey by Valeo Egypt, which has grown into a core pillar of the Group's global operations. It also serves as a model of Egypt's competitiveness in R&D and technological innovation, supported by a distinguished pool of young, highly skilled talent, especially in automotive software and intelligent embedded systems. He also commended Valeo's Egyptian engineers, whose number in Egypt now exceeds 3,000.
Moreover, Hendy underscored the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT)'s commitment to deepening cooperation with international companies, fostering knowledge transfer, creating decent job opportunities, and supporting the transition to a knowledge-based economy. He also highlighted MCIT's efforts to expand outsourcing exports, particularly high-value digital services.
For his part, Périllat highlighted that over the past two decades, Valeo Egypt has emerged as a powerhouse for high-value engineering and innovation. He added that the launch of the AI Development Center marks a pivotal milestone aligned perfectly with the company's global strategy to integrate AI across all engineering operations, particularly software development in Egypt.
The Center becomes part of a global network of more than 200 AI experts working across the company worldwide, alongside a dedicated AI research center within Valeo.
This move represents a strategic milestone in Valeo's journey through the expansion of AI operations in Cairo. It aims to empower local talent, accelerate processes, strengthen capabilities, and support the delivery of highly competitive products to customers.
Elzaher emphasized ITIDA's ongoing efforts to strengthen Egypt's position as a global hub for outsourcing and digital service exports. He added that this is achieved by attracting and expanding investments across the ICT and AI sectors, while supporting the growth of global service firms, such as Valeo, in Egypt. This reflects the country's strong pool of skilled digital talent and innovation-driven technical capabilities.
Furthermore, he stated that Valeo's 20-year investment in Egypt stands as clear evidence of the country's high-value talent base and represents a successful model of collaboration between global companies and the Egyptian government, supporting the sustainable growth of its activities in Egypt.
It is worth highlighting that Valeo Egypt's engineers develop core software that enables next-generation vehicle technologies such as automated parking (Valeo Park4U®) for autonomous vehicles, digital cockpits, Powertrain Systems (PTS) for electric vehicles, and smart lighting systems. This development relies on a wide range of advanced technologies, including AI, algorithm development, model-based design, deep learning, data science, and cloud computing.
Valeo Egypt's team has also demonstrated strong expertise in developing innovative solutions and obtaining patents in advanced technology areas, highlighting the strength of local talent and its global competitiveness.
The opening ceremony was attended by Group Research and Development Vice President Christophe Le Ligné, and Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer at Valeo François Marion, along with senior officials from MCIT and ITIDA.
Valeo is one of the world's leading technology companies, listed on the Paris Stock Exchange. It employs about 100,000 people worldwide and operates in 29 countries through 149 production plants, 59 R&D centers, and 19 distribution platforms. In 2025, the company recorded revenues of approximately 20.9 billion Euros.
