Latest news with #InformationTechnologyIndustryDevelopmentAgency
Tahya Masr
13-05-2025
- Business
- Tahya Masr
Next Monday – ITIDA's SECC Organizes 3rd Edition of Software Testing Day
The Software Engineering Competence Center (SECC), an affiliate of the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), is set to host the third edition of Software Testing Day on May 19, 2025, at the Digital Egypt Innovation Hub (Creativa) in Giza. Held under the theme 'Software Testing Evolution: Innovating with AI and DevOps", the event will spotlight the latest global trends in software quality assurance. The agenda includes keynote speeches and panel discussions featuring leading industry experts, as well as live demonstrations of cutting-edge software testing tools and solutions. The event also offers a valuable networking platform for professionals, practitioners, and technology providers in the software testing and quality assurance domains. Registration is now open via the official website: -
Zawya
26-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Egypt accelerates AI adoption with new strategy and ecosystem engagement
Cairo, Egypt: Egypt is fast-tracking AI ecosystem growth by strengthening ties between startups, investors, enterprises, and policymakers, with a focus on talent, AI-driven industries, and investment. During "Shaping Egypt's AI Horizon", an event organized by the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) in collaboration with 500 Global, policymakers, industry leaders, and investors discussed Egypt's AI roadmap, startup funding, and AI adoption across key sectors. Dr. Amr Talaat, Egypt's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, reaffirmed the government's commitment to AI and its role in driving digital transformation. He highlighted Egypt's National AI Strategy (2025-2030), built on six key pillars: Computing infrastructure to support AI model training. Data governance ensuring AI accessibility and responsible use. AI-powered systems for real-world applications. AI talent and capacity-building to meet market needs. Regulatory frameworks for AI ethics and policies. Ecosystem growth connecting startups, enterprises, and investors. He emphasized the ministry's commitment to regular engagement with stakeholders across the ICT sector to address their needs. He highlighted AI's expanding role across industries and the forum's aim to foster dialogue among Egypt's AI ecosystem. "We are committed to enhancing Egypt's AI ecosystem by fostering collaboration, expanding our talent pool, and ensuring a regulatory framework that enables innovation," Dr. Talaat stated. Bridging the Gap Between AI Talent and Market Needs Egypt is scaling AI talent development to fuel AI innovation and enterprise adoption. Ahmed El-Zaher, CEO of ITIDA, highlighted the agency's specialized and novel training programs in AI coding, MLOps, and Responsible AI governance, led by ITIDA's Software Engineering Competence Center (SECC). "At ITIDA, we are committed to fostering a thriving AI ecosystem by connecting stakeholders, equipping talent with cutting-edge skills, and supporting startups to scale their innovations," said El-Zaher, CEO of ITIDA. "By bringing together industry leaders, investors, and policymakers, we aim to bridge the gap between AI innovation and real-world applications, positioning Egypt as a competitive AI hub."; he added. AI Startup Investment and Market Expansion Dr. Hoda Baraka, Advisor to the Minister for AI, emphasized the government's efforts in building AI capabilities and integrating AI solutions into key sectors. 'Since 2019, Egypt has been committed to developing its AI ecosystem through capacity building and policy development. Our updated AI strategy (2025-2030) focuses on expanding AI applications, upskilling, and ensuring that AI solutions address national challenges across industries such as healthcare, finance, and agriculture,' she stated. The event featured insights from 500 Global, which has invested in over 65 Egyptian startups and continues to identify AI-driven business opportunities. Amal Enan, Managing Partner at 500 Global, underscored the firm's commitment to scaling AI startups in Egypt. "Egypt's AI ecosystem is growing rapidly, and we see tremendous potential in startups integrating AI into their solutions. By fostering collaboration between investors, startups, and government stakeholders, we can unlock new opportunities and scale AI-driven businesses," Enan said. She also noted that 157 startups are currently participating in 500 Global's accelerator programs, many of which focus on AI-driven innovations. The event featured a session on AI-powered innovations, moderated by Dr. Haitham Hamza of ITIDA's SECC. Panelists from Baheya Foundation, e& Egypt, and CIB shared insights on AI's role in enhancing services, cybersecurity, and healthcare. Another session, "Betting on AI," led by Amal Enan of 500 Global, gathered investors from Synapse Analytics, Intella, Tektonik Ventures, and Algebra Ventures to discuss AI investment trends and scaling challenges. Additionally, the Applied Innovation Center of MCIT is developing AI-powered solutions in agriculture, education, healthcare, and legal sectors, demonstrating the real-world impact of AI research and development. With plans to train 30,000 AI specialists, support 250 AI-driven companies, and expand AI awareness across society, Egypt is positioning itself as a leading AI innovation hub in the region. With its well-established position as a leading global delivery hub for high-end digital and technology services, Egypt continues to attract major investments in AI and innovation. The country's deep talent pool, cost competitiveness, and strong government support make it an ideal destination for enterprises looking to scale AI-driven solutions and digital services.
Zawya
26-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Egypt seeks to empower AI startups through national strategy
Egypt is aiming to empower startups specialising in artificial intelligence (AI) to grow their businesses and attract more investment in the sector, according to the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Amr Talaat. Talaat's remarks came during the 'Shaping the Horizons of Artificial Intelligence in Egypt' forum, organised by Egypt's Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) in collaboration with 500 Global. The event, held at the Egypt Digital Creation Centre in Giza, was attended by representatives from AI companies, venture capital funds, and various sectors interested in AI applications, as well as entrepreneurs and startups. The forum aligns with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology's commitment to discussing the pillars of the National AI Strategy (2025-2030) with the private sector and relevant stakeholders, and to highlight the strategy's importance in supporting entrepreneurship and investment in AI technologies. Talaat emphasised the ministry's commitment to holding regular meetings with various elements of the communications and information technology sector to understand their needs. He noted the increasing importance of AI across different sectors. He added that the forum aims to foster dialogue among the AI ecosystem in Egypt, including the government, startups, small and medium-sized enterprises, civil society, and private sector companies involved in sponsoring and investing in startups. Representatives from key sectors relying on AI technologies, such as communications and information technology, healthcare, and the banking sector, also participated. The goal is to enable startups to understand the requirements of these sectors and design AI-based solutions, thereby supporting companies operating in this field. Six Pillars of the AI Strategy Talaat explained that the National AI Strategy, launched in January, is based on six main pillars, which he said are important in empowering AI startups to develop their businesses. The first pillar concerns computational infrastructure, aiming to provide computational capabilities that meet the requirements of the government sector and provide capacity for the private sector, particularly startups and SMEs, through the ministry's Applied Innovation Centre. The second pillar focuses on data, aiming to organise and govern data availability through a governance framework that allows the private sector to use more data in building algorithms and systems related to AI, while maintaining data privacy. Amr Talaat The third pillar involves building systems using AI. Talaat said that the ministry has begun building a range of systems through its Applied Innovation Centre, which was established to implement the first version of the National AI Strategy. The second version of the strategy aims to achieve cooperation with the private sector and startups in building systems that serve various sectors of the state, such as agriculture, health, and education. The fourth pillar focuses on competencies and skills, expanding the base of trained personnel in AI through initiatives of the ministry and its affiliated entities to meet the requirements of large companies as well as startups and SMEs. The fifth pillar concerns establishing a legislative and governance framework, studying various international experiences in this field to develop balanced legislation that expands the array of solutions built using AI while protecting data privacy. The sixth pillar involves creating a sound AI ecosystem by supporting local startups, innovation efforts, and encouraging investment from venture capital firms in Egypt. Talaat stressed that one of the key objectives of the strategy is to attract more investment to Egypt in the field of AI, develop local companies operating in this field, and stimulate interaction between global and local companies operating in this field. ITIDA's Role in Connecting Stakeholders Ahmed Elzaher, CEO of ITIDA, said that ITIDA is working to connect all stakeholders in the entrepreneurship ecosystem, from the government and startups to investors, large companies, and institutions, to explore opportunities for cooperation and understand AI applications and market needs. He pointed to ITIDA's support for companies through an integrated business environment and specialised training programmes. He added that ITIDA has developed all its capacity-building and skills development programmes to meet requirements, providing training programmes in requirements engineering, software development and testing with AI tools, and responsible use of AI through its Software Engineering Competence Centre (SECC), as well as internationally accredited professional certifications. Elzaher said that ITIDA has contacted 37 startups, where challenges revolved around a lack of specialised skills, which the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and all affiliated entities are working to address with advanced training programmes. These efforts are part of ITIDA's strategy to enhance the AI environment and bridge the skills gap locally and globally, enhancing Egypt's position as a hub for high-value technological services. 500 Global's Investment in Egypt Amal Enan, Partner at 500 Global, said that the forum aims to hold discussions bringing together local and global companies specialising in AI, and to highlight the government's plans in this field until 2030, in light of the National AI Strategy. She explained that 500 Global has invested in more than 65 companies in Egypt so far, and is working to expand its investments in Egypt in cooperation with ITIDA. Enan noted that there are currently about 157 companies participating in the various programmes provided by 500 Global to support and develop startups in various stages, emphasising the company's interest in integrating AI technologies into the activities of startups in light of the increasing global interest in AI and the opportunities and challenges it provides. Skills Development Initiatives Hoda Baraka, Advisor to the Minister of Communications and Information Technology for Technological Talent Development, reviewed the state's efforts in adopting AI technologies since 2019, noting the main objectives of the second version of the National AI Strategy 2025-2030, which include building the capabilities of 30,000 AI specialists, raising awareness about AI among segments of society, enabling about 26% of the workforce in Egypt to use AI tools, and enabling about 36% of citizens to use AI applications, reaching more than 250 companies operating in the field of AI, with attention to research and development and supporting scientific research in these technologies. She pointed out that communication is underway with all sectors of the state to analyse the actual needs of each sector for AI applications, and thus develop a list of targeted sectors and the most priority uses, then develop executive plans to develop applications using AI that serve these sectors, and present them to private sector companies for cooperation in implementation. Noha Adly, Advisor to the Minister of Communications and Information Technology for Research and Development, explained the role of the Applied Innovation Centre in creating technological solutions using modern technologies, particularly AI, to address the challenges facing Egyptian society, with a focus on building capabilities in this field through on-the-job training. She noted that the Centre has computational capabilities, as well as a base of specialised experts and engineers, pointing to the most prominent projects implemented by the Centre to use AI in a number of sectors, including agriculture, education, justice, healthcare, and culture. She added that projects are being implemented to develop applications for automatic recognition of spoken language in Egyptian colloquial Arabic with its different dialects, machine translation and converting spoken language into text, as well as an application for automating quality assurance in call centres. © 2024 Daily News Egypt. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. ( Daily News Egypt
Egypt Today
20-03-2025
- Business
- Egypt Today
Communications Min. talk enhancing growth of digital exports to the world
Egypt CAIRO - 20 March 2025: Egyptian Minister of Communications and Information Technology Dr. Amr Talaat met with members of the Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Committee at the Digital Egypt Innovation Center at Sultan Hussein Kamel Palace to discuss plans to develop the outsourcing industry and ways to enhance the growth of digital exports. The meeting reviewed the "Digital Egypt Outsourcing Industry Development Strategy 2022-2026," which aims to increase digital exports, enhance Egypt's competitiveness in research and development and value-added services, and provide sustainable job opportunities in the cross-border services industry. The meeting also discussed government efforts to encourage companies operating in this industry to expand their business and increase their investments in Egypt. The meeting was attended by Eng. Ahmed El-Zaher, CEO of the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), Eng. Sherine El-Gendy, Assistant Minister of Communications and Information Technology for Strategy and Implementation, and a number of leaders from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Information Technology Industry Development Agency. During the meeting, Dr. Amr Talaat highlighted the efforts being made to create a supportive environment for the expansion of investments by international and local companies operating in the outsourcing industry in the Egyptian ICT sector, consolidating Egypt's position as a leading global destination for providing IT and outsourcing services. He noted that there are currently more than 180 international and local companies with over 200 centers specializing in exporting digital services from Egypt, up from 64 companies in 2021. Dr. Amr Talaat added that the outsourcing industry provides distinguished and abundant job opportunities for Egyptian youth, noting that he aims to expand these opportunities by providing the necessary training to qualify them for work in this industry. He emphasized that Egypt possesses competitive advantages that have made it an attractive destination for outsourcing investments, including competitive costs, the availability of advanced digital infrastructure, a large base of qualified and trained youth in various technological specialties, and a prime geographical location. Dr. Amr Talaat highlighted the Ministry's commitment to encouraging companies to boost the growth of cross-border service exports to various markets around the world, starting from Egypt. He also emphasized expanding their presence outside of Cairo and establishing outsourcing centers in the governorates, drawing on the expertise of young Egyptians. The meeting also addressed ways to enhance the growth of the outsourcing industry by providing incentives to companies, supporting export efforts, and expanding employment opportunities, particularly in value-added services. The meeting also highlighted initiatives launched by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and its affiliated entities that aim to provide training in various technological specialties with the aim of raising the efficiency of Egyptian cadres and preparing them for future jobs, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence, data analysis, and integrated systems. The importance of expanding outside of Cairo was also emphasized to take advantage of the competitive cost of operating in various governorates. Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly issued a decision last January to form six specialized advisory committees to enhance communication between the government and experts in various private sector fields. These committees include the Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Committee. Each committee is tasked with providing opinions and proposals to support government efforts to reform and advance the relevant sector, and to enhance the role of the private sector in the policy-making process.
Zawya
29-01-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Concentrix to inject $1bln investments in Egypt's outsourcing sector
Concentrix, a global technology and services leader, has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) to invest around $1 billion in Egypt, according to a statement. Under the MoU, Concentrix seeks to expand its operations in the Egyptian market, creating 16,000 new job opportunities. This will bring the company's total number of employees to 35,000 by the end of 2028. The signing was attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, President and CEO at Concentrix Chris Caldwell, and Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat. Talaat highlighted that this expansion is the largest of its kind in the history of Egypt's outsourcing industry, adding that it enhances the competitiveness of the state's outsourcing sector globally. He added that the outsourcing industry contributed to driving economic development in Egypt, as it secured diverse and intensive jobs for youth, while increasing revenues from digital exports. On his part, Caldwell indicated that the investments align with the company's commitment to developing Egyptian talent and anchoring its position in the global outsourcing market. Amr Sobhy, Vice President of Concentrix Egypt, said the company has 11 centers in Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, and Hurghada. The global firm plans to widen its footprint in these centers, while expanding in Mansoura to boost its exports of outsourcing services, Sobhy mentioned. © 2020-2023 Arab Finance For Information Technology. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
