Startup incubators and accelerators in Egypt (2026): who is taking founders and how to apply
Egypt’s main startup programmes in 2026 are AUC Venture Lab, ITIDA’s TIEC Start IT and Creativa incubation, Plug and Play Cairo, Orange Corners, MINT by EGBANK and Flat6Labs’ partner programmes. Several are free or take no equity; TIEC Start IT, for example, offers up to EGP 480,000 with 0% equity. Below is who each one takes, what it offers and how to apply, checked against each programme’s own website.
Key takeaways
- Most programmes run in cohorts, so “closed” usually means “wait for the next call”, not “gone”.
- Check the stage first: TIEC Start IT and Creativa want a working prototype and a business plan, AUC Venture Lab and MINT want a product, and Orange Corners takes earlier founders.
- TIEC Start IT and Creativa now take applications all year, so you don’t have to wait for a call.
- Outside Cairo, look at Orange Corners hubs and Creativa centres in the governorates.
- Almost every application asks for the same things: a clear problem, a business model, a pitch deck and early numbers.
At a glance
| Programme | Who it’s for | Funding / equity | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUC Venture Lab | Startups about to launch | Not stated | Between cycles |
| TIEC Start IT | Tech startups with a prototype and business plan | Up to EGP 480k | Open all year |
| Creativa (TIEC) | Tech startups with a prototype or MVP and business plan | Up to EGP 360k | Open all year |
| Plug and Play Cairo | Tech startups with an MVP or revenue | Equity-free | Cohort running |
| Orange Corners Egypt | Early-stage founders, one aged 18–35 | Free to join | Closed |
| MINT by EGBANK | Startups with a product, any sector | “No strings attached” | Between cycles |
| Flat6Labs Egypt | Depends on the programme (now: circular-economy SMEs) | Grant up to €50k | Sector-based |
Status checked on 5 November 2026. Full details and sources are in each programme card below.
Incubator or accelerator: which do you need?
An incubator helps an early team turn an idea or prototype into a business, usually over 6–12 months, with workspace, training and mentors. An accelerator takes a startup that already has a product or first customers and pushes it to grow fast in 3–4 months, often ending with a demo day in front of investors.
If you are still testing the idea, start with an incubator. If you have a product and want customers or investment, an accelerator is the better fit. For more on how these programmes help the economy and why some fail, see how incubators and accelerators contribute to a better economy.
Programmes in Egypt and how to apply
AUC Venture Lab Between cycles
- Who it’s for
- Early-stage startups about to launch (not idea-only). Startup track is sector-agnostic; a separate Fintech track.
- What you get
- Not stated on the official site
- Length
- 4 months
- Where
- New Cairo
- Status
- Last cycle: Spring 2026 (Demo Day June 2026). Next call not announced yet.
- How to apply
- Applications open when a cycle is announced; applications go through Gust. Official page
Official sources: business.aucegypt.edu · business.aucegypt.edu — News: menastartupdigest.com
TIEC Start IT incubation (ITIDA) Open all year
- Who it’s for
- Tech (ICT) startups with a business plan and a working prototype. University students cannot apply.
- What you get
- Up to EGP 480,000 support, 0% equity, plus USD 10,000 AWS credit (official)
- Length
- 12 months
- Where
- TIEC centres and a virtual track for all governorates
- Status
- Applications are open all year (official). You submit a business plan, then an interview and a pitch.
- How to apply
- Apply any time on TIEC’s Start IT page. Official page
Official sources: tiec.gov.eg · itida.gov.eg — News: menastartupdigest.com
Creativa Incubation Program (TIEC) Open, next round Nov
- Who it’s for
- Tech startups with a working prototype or MVP and a business plan; preferably two or more founders, resident in Egypt.
- What you get
- Up to EGP 360,000 in four milestone payments, 0% equity (official)
- Length
- 12 months
- Where
- 16 Creativa locations across Egypt
- Status
- Applications are open all year; the next 2026 round opens in November (official). The 4th cohort was announced in July 2026.
- How to apply
- Apply on TIEC’s Creativa Incubation Program page. Official page
Official sources: tiec.gov.eg · itida.gov.eg — News: menastartupdigest.com
Plug and Play Cairo (with ITIDA) Cohort running
- Who it’s for
- Tech startups with an MVP or revenue; the 2026 cohort focused on AI-enabled startups.
- What you get
- Reported as fee-free and equity-free
- Length
- About 3–4 months (reported)
- Where
- Cairo
- Status
- Cohort 8 started October 2026 (reported).
- How to apply
- Calls are announced by ITIDA and Plug and Play. Official page
Official sources: plugandplaytechcenter.com · itida.gov.eg — News: menastartupdigest.com
Orange Corners Egypt Applications closed
- Who it’s for
- Early-stage founders; at least one founder aged 18–35.
- What you get
- Free to join (official)
- Length
- 6 months
- Where
- Hubs in Assiut, Luxor, Alexandria, Dakahlia, Menoufia, Kafr El Sheikh and Beheira
- Status
- The official page shows applications closed (Nov 2026).
- How to apply
- Watch the official Orange Corners Egypt page for the next call. Official page
Official sources: orangecorners.com
MINT Incubator by EGBANK Between cycles
- Who it’s for
- Startups that already have a product, not just an idea; any sector.
- What you get
- Described by EGBANK as “no strings attached”
- Length
- 3 months (current official page)
- Where
- Cairo
- Status
- Cycle 15 Demo Day held July 2026 (reported). No open call found.
- How to apply
- Watch the EGBANK MINT page for the next cycle. Official page
Official sources: mint.eg-bank.com — News: menastartupdigest.com
Flat6Labs Egypt (partner programmes) Sector programmes
- Who it’s for
- Varies by programme. The current one, Tadweer, is for revenue-generating startups and SMEs in the circular economy that are registered in Egypt.
- What you get
- Tadweer: grant of up to €50,000 (official). No seed programme is listed on the site now.
- Length
- Varies (Tadweer cycle 1: 1 Sep – 15 Dec 2026)
- Where
- Egypt
- Status
- Its Cairo seed programme is no longer listed on the official site. Flat6Labs now runs sector programmes with partners in Egypt.
- How to apply
- Through the Flat6Labs website when a programme is open. Official page
Official sources: flat6labs.com · flat6labs.com
Other places to look
- Falak Startups: Cairo-based investor in Egyptian tech startups that also runs accelerator programmes. Check its programmes page for the current calls.
- Nile University IECC (NilePreneurs): Sector programmes such as the ClimaTech Accelerator (cycle 3 launched Nov 2025). Some calls are for Nile University students only.
- EgyptInnovate (ITIDA): A directory of incubators, accelerators and investors in Egypt. Useful for finding sector or university programmes.
What incubators usually ask for in an application
- A clear problem and who has it, in a sentence or two.
- Your business model: who pays, how much and why.
- A pitch deck of about 10–12 slides.
- Your team and why you are the right people.
- Early numbers: a simple forecast of revenue and costs, and any traction so far.
Most rejections come from a vague business model or no numbers at all. A short plan and a 3-year forecast make your application easier to judge. See how to pitch your business to investors and how to forecast without historical data.
How BznsBuilder helps you prepare
BznsBuilder covers three of the things most applications ask for. These screenshots come from a demo company in the app.
Try it on your own startup. Write a guided business plan, build a 3-statement forecast from your own assumptions and export a pitch deck, in English or Arabic.
How to choose the right programme
- Stage: does it take ideas, prototypes or products with customers?
- Terms: is it free, does it give cash, and does it take equity?
- Sector: some calls are only for tech, fintech, climate or AI.
- Location: Cairo only, or hubs and online tracks for other governorates?
- Timing: when is the next call, and can you commit for the full programme?
Running a programme yourself?
If you run an incubator or accelerator, see how MINT Incubator by EGBANK ran a 12-startup cohort on BznsBuilder and our business plan software for incubators and accelerators.
Frequently asked questions
Which incubators in Egypt take no equity?
TIEC’s Start IT (up to EGP 480,000) and Creativa’s incubation programme (up to EGP 360,000) both state 0% equity on their official pages, and Orange Corners Egypt is free to join. Terms change between cycles, so confirm on the programme’s own page before you apply.
Can I apply with just an idea?
Most incubators want more than an idea: TIEC Start IT and Creativa both ask for a working prototype and a business plan, and AUC Venture Lab and MINT expect a product. Orange Corners takes early-stage founders. With only an idea, start with a pre-incubation programme such as TIEC’s Pre-Incubation Program or Creativa’s Tech Launchpad.
Are there programmes outside Cairo?
Yes. Orange Corners Egypt has hubs in Assiut, Luxor, Alexandria, Dakahlia, Menoufia, Kafr El Sheikh and Beheira, Creativa has 16 locations across Egypt, and TIEC runs a virtual incubation track.
What do I need to apply?
Usually a pitch deck, a short description of your problem and business model, your team, and early numbers such as a simple revenue and cost forecast.
How often do these programmes open?
Most run one or two cohorts a year. When a page says applications are closed, follow the programme’s page or social channels for the next call.
Apply with your financials ready
Programs ask for numbers. Have them in minutes.
- P&L
- Cash flow
- Balance sheet
How we checked: Every programme fact was checked against the programme’s own website on 5 November 2026. The source links are in each programme card above; details marked “reported” come from news coverage. We recheck this guide every quarter.
