Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) has opened two tenders for the management of “innovation clusters” in two technological areas, Borj Al-Arab and Asyut. ITIDA has allocated EGP 50m to support entrepreneurs in the two areas.
Innovation clusters will be offered for rental to entrepreneurs. Moreover, the bid winners should provide innovators with work opportunities and support them financially and technically.
Asmaa Hosny, Head of ITIDA, said that the agency is examining the offers presented by companies participating in the two tenders. The bid winners will be announced after Eid al-Adha and the process implementation will come to effect at the end of this year.
EITIDA supports industry, not just entrepreneurs and unions as it grants EGP 50m for innovation in the two areas, divided on 5 years with EGP 5m to each area per year.
Hosny said that the two tenders were offered with the cooperation of Silicon Waha Company, established by the Ministry of Communication to support technological areas. ITIDA is concerned with renting sites in the technological areas, supporting innovation through bid winners and financing industry.
Hosny asserted that the agency role is to develop society and industry and not to gain profits. Furthermore, the agency aims to encourage youth to establish start-ups and innovate new technologies which will contribute to a more productive and civilized society.
Several companies have applied to participate in the tenders; among them are Technology Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center (TIEC), Ebny and Hemma Incubators.
Saly Mitwali, head of Ebny Incubator said that the company has participated in the “Innovation Clusters” tender, held in Burj Al-Arab. She added that if the incubator wins the bid, it will open a new branch and offer rental spots to entrepreneurs in Burj Al-Arab, in addition to supporting youth financially and psychologically, by cooperating with the Academy for Scientific Research and Technology.
Mitwali pointed out that the incubator does not have branches in other governorates; however, it is trying to provide entrepreneurs with work places in their own governorates so they do not have to travel to Cairo often to implement the prototype of their project.
Mohamed Yaseen, CEO of Hemma Incubator in Asyut, said that the incubator has participated in the tender to win the bid through the Integrated Technology Transfer Unit (ITTU) that supervises Hemma.
