Planning minister discusses start-up financing with leading US venture capital funds

Planning and Economic Development Minister Ahmed Rostom held a series of meetings with senior executives from leading US venture capital funds and investment institutions at the conclusion of his participation in the B20 Summit 2026 in Washington, DC, to explore ways to attract foreign private sector investment into Egypt’s entrepreneurship and start-up sector.

Rostom met with Bobby Franklin, President and CEO of the US National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), and Brad Fierstein, Partner and Co-Head of Corporate Solutions for the Americas and Head of Deal Origination at Apollo Infrastructure Group.

During the meetings, Rostom outlined the main features of a comprehensive financing initiative that the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development plans to launch, including the establishment of a dedicated fund to support start-ups and entrepreneurs.

He explained that the initiative aims to broaden access to financing for promising Egyptian companies, strengthen their capacity to scale up their operations and attract more capital into the innovation ecosystem, in line with presidential directives and the recommendations of Egypt Forum 2026.

Rostom highlighted the ministry’s strategic vision of using financing as an effective tool to stimulate investment and matching companies’ financing needs with their respective stages of growth.

He noted that the proposed fund would play a key role in addressing funding gaps faced by start-ups as they progress from product development and business model testing to commercial expansion and entry into regional and international markets.

The minister also highlighted the link between the proposed financing initiative and the Qimam programme, which is designed to support high-growth start-ups with significant economic potential.

He stressed that financing alone is insufficient and must be complemented by investment-readiness support, management capacity development and the adoption of corporate governance standards to facilitate these companies’ access to international investor networks.

Rostom invited representatives of US funds and investment institutions to participate in investment funds targeting Egyptian start-ups.

He emphasised that the Egyptian market offers promising investment opportunities and innovative talent capable of generating added value, underscoring the importance of building sustainable international partnerships that translate innovation into tangible opportunities for inclusive economic growth.

As part of efforts to strengthen engagement with the international business community, Rostom also attended an official dinner hosted by the Advisory Council of the American Chamber of Commerce, bringing together representatives of major US companies and Egyptian entrepreneurs living abroad.

The gathering featured discussions on ways to deepen economic, trade and investment relations between Egypt and the United States, as well as measures to accelerate trade flows.

Rostom also outlined the main features of Egypt’s National Economic Transformation Programme and highlighted positive developments in the Egyptian economy, encouraging investors to explore opportunities to expand their operations in Egypt amid the reforms being implemented by the government.