Global Entrepreneurship Festival aims to unlock investment, new markets – president

Egypt’s hosting of the Global Entrepreneurship Festival later this year could help unlock new markets, attract investment and strengthen the country’s startup ecosystem, Summy Smart Francis, a global entrepreneurship leader, said on Saturday.

Speaking at the festival’s launch in Cairo, Francis described entrepreneurship as a force for economic and social transformation, saying it remains one of the most effective tools for tackling poverty and creating opportunity.

“Entrepreneurship is the most powerful universal language humanity has ever spoken. It crosses continents and speaks to every level of society because it is the language we use to confront poverty, create opportunities and build a better world for generations to come,” Francis said.

He said the event would go beyond celebration, serving as a platform to connect local innovation with global capital and create tangible business opportunities.

“This festival represents an opportunity to accelerate growth, unlock new markets, attract transformative investment and position Egyptian entrepreneurs more strongly in the global space,” Francis said.

Scheduled for 6-8 Nov., the festival will bring together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and creatives from across the world, with programmes including trade fairs, innovation forums, robotics competitions and business networking sessions.

Francis said Egypt’s role as host reflected its growing ambition to become a regional centre for innovation and entrepreneurship, adding that the event could generate wider economic benefits through tourism, international media exposure and foreign investment.

“The future is not something that simply happens to us. It is something that we intentionally create,” Francis said.