Egypt secures Global Entrepreneurship Festival after fierce international competition

Egypt secured the right to host the Global Entrepreneurship Festival (GEF) after competing against four other countries, in a move organisers said underscored the country’s rising profile as a regional centre for innovation and entrepreneurship.

Baher Mounir Ghabbour, chairman of the festival in Egypt, said the bid faced strong competition from a European country, an Arab nation and two African states before Egypt emerged as the host.

“The competition was intense, but Egypt succeeded in winning this file,” Ghabbour said.

He said the decision reflected international recognition of Egypt’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, backed by what he described as strong institutions, promising human capital and an improving investment environment.

The festival, scheduled for 6-8 November in Cairo, is expected to gather entrepreneurs, investors, innovators and policymakers from around the world to discuss cooperation opportunities, launch new ventures and expand business networks.

Ghabbour said the event would reinforce Egypt’s ambition to position itself as a gateway for entrepreneurship and innovation in Africa and the Middle East.

“Egypt will not just host you, Egypt will inspire you. You will witness a nation that understands both heritage and horizon — one that respects its past while aggressively building its future,” Ghabbour said.

He also credited support from the government, led by Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly, the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA), alongside private-sector partners and state agencies, for helping secure the hosting rights.