Egypt’s Ministry of Youth and Sports has launched the second phase of the “Be a Creative Entrepreneur” initiative in partnership with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), aiming to support young entrepreneurs and provide funding and incubation opportunities for innovative startups.

As part of the program, a judging committee convened at the Youth Innovation and Learning Center in Gezira to select the top 10 startup projects from finalists of the initiative’s first edition. The winning teams will receive financial, technical, and logistical support, in addition to an incubation program lasting up to nine months.

The initiative offers funding and technical assistance of up to EGP 200,000 per project during the incubation period, helping transform innovative ideas into market-ready businesses capable of competing in Egypt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The evaluation committee included representatives from the Ministry of Industry, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), Nile University, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), under the chairmanship of Nanis El Naqouri, Head of the Central Administration for Youth and Children Empowerment.

Following strong participation in the first phase, the new round aims to engage more than 2,000 young men and women from across Egypt. Selected projects will receive funding and mentorship to develop their ideas into sustainable business ventures.

The ministry said the initiative reflects its ongoing efforts to strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship, foster a supportive environment for young creators, and contribute to Egypt’s transition toward a knowledge-based economy.