Egypt’s GAFI to open startup offices in free zones within 6 months
Egypt’s General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) will make administrative headquarters for startups in the Nasr City free zone fully operational within six months, GAFI CEO Hossam Heiba said Sunday.
Heiba said the authority will also allocate space in the Alexandria free zone for startups, with plans to gradually extend the program to all free zones nationwide. Companies operating in these zones benefit from streamlined procedures, full tax and customs exemptions, and access to private sector support services, including legal, marketing, and consulting firms.
The initiative covers startups in software exports and artificial intelligence, with the aim of supporting scale-up and access to foreign markets. Heiba highlighted the government’s strategy to rely on startups to achieve Egypt’s target GDP growth of 6–7 per cent, describing the sector as the fastest-growing engine of the economy.
Speaking at the Rise Up Prop-Tech Summit, Heba urged the real estate sector to adopt startup-driven innovations such as remote design, fractional investment, AI-powered financial assessments, and sustainable development solutions. He also announced plans to establish an innovation hub for the automotive sector, part of Egypt’s strategic push to localize technology.
GAFI has introduced a fast-track process for company registration, allowing entrepreneurs to set up a single-person company in just two hours, with VIP services provided at no extra cost. Heiba added that the authority coordinates with foreign governments and business communities to help Egyptian startups expand abroad while avoiding double taxation and protectionist barriers.
He also encouraged collaboration with Egyptian universities to leverage the EU’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program, which Egypt joined last month, granting local institutions access to European research knowledge in key sectors.
The free zone initiative is part of Egypt’s broader effort to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem, including GAFI-backed incubators, investment vehicles, and permanent entrepreneurship units, all aimed at removing obstacles and providing comprehensive support for startups nationwide.
Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
Subediting: Y.Yasser