In the presence of the Dr. Sahar Nasr, Egyptian Minister of Investment and International Cooperation, Tatweer Misr today signed an MoU with Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), to develop an entrepreneurship and innovation hub under the management of GEN. The hub will be located on the 90 acre College Campus in Bloomfields in Mostakbal City, Tatweer Misr’s latest development in Cairo.
GEN is a platform of programs and initiatives that help align a varied collection of players, programs, and information to better support entrepreneurship. Following the signing of the MOU and during a groundbreaking ceremony held on-site today, the first stone in the GEN@Bloomfields was set by Dr. Sahar Nasr , Minister of Investment and International Cooperation, Dr. Ahmed Shalaby, Tatweer Misr CEO and Managing Director, and Jonathan Ortmans, GEN President, representing the first building in the University Campus at Bloomfields.
GEN@Bloomfields, as the hub will be known, is expected to be operational by 2021 and will host several technology labs, “state-of-the-art” work stations, co-working space, think tanks, a gym, lounges, boardrooms, training rooms, and an atrium which will be used for networking and events. It will be home to many partners, with offerings such as, but not limited to, Executive Education Programs, Training Programs, and Lecture Series.
Dr. Sahar Nasr, Minister of Investment and International Cooperation confirmed that “ The Ministry supports all efforts directed towards entrepreneurship in Egypt” referring to the importance of the regional entrepreneurial hub in supporting Entrepreneurship in Egypt and on a wider scale, the Middle East and North Africa.
The Minister stressed that “supporting Entrepreneurship, especially those Entrepreneurs that bring new and innovative solutions that tackle the challenges facing our country, is a priority for our government”. The Minister also strengthened on “the significance of empowering our youth, supporting the small investor, developing a supportive ecosystem that will reinforce entrepreneurship and innovation and help our youth in achieving their aspirations, is a priority, especially in view of rising unemployment rates in the MENA region among youth and especially women.”
“Empowering innovation is the key to empowering entrepreneurship, and through our partnership with GEN Global on this Campus, we aim to create a space that generates innovation opportunities for developing a better future for our youth in the region,” says Ahmed Shalaby, CEO and Managing Director of Tatweer Misr.
Through its partnership with Tatweer Misr, GEN will focus on bringing best-in-class programs, communities and support from its network, operating in 170 nations, to Egypt’s next generation of entrepreneurs. “GEN has been actively celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) events in Egypt for 11 years, since its inception. Egyptians are building some of the most engaging, proactive and dedicated entrepreneurship communities around the world, that are working towards innovating for real impact for the nation’s benefit,” said GEN President Jonathan Ortmans, during the groundbreaking. “We could not be prouder to stand with our national affiliate, GEN Egypt, alongside Tatweer Misr and other partners in opening GEN@Bloomfields. We look forward to empowering entrepreneurs throughout Egypt and connecting them to the global ecosystem that will help them thrive.”
Accordingly, the campus will offer a 360-degree turn-key solution to start and scale - from the initial concept all the way to sustainable commercialization. Participants will also have direct on-hand access to a global and diverse team of experienced entrepreneurs, mentors, scientists, managers, CEOs and funders all under one roof to nurture and support them during every step of their journey. This includes product development, services, business models, funding opportunities and access to markets, as well as exploring and identifying new industries and opportunities in MENA.
“Since its inception, Tatweer Misr has been strong proponents of entrepreneurship and education with a strong track record of activities supporting their vision “to create a base where entrepreneurs can emerge with the requisite skills base and support that would propel them to a higher level enabling them to contribute to job creation and poverty eradication, whilst harnessing the values and principles of a true entrepreneur,” according to Ahmed Shalaby.
The groundbreaking event appropriately coincides with the opening of Global Entrepreneurship Week – an effort to help anyone, anywhere start and scale a new business. For one week each November, roughly 10 million participants take part in 35,000 events, activities and competitions in more than 170 countries around the world.
