Egypt to host Africa's Global Entrepreneurship Festival, with Dangote and Magdi Yacoub

Cairo — Egypt will host the third Global Entrepreneurship Festival from 6 to 8 November at the JW Marriott Hotel in New Cairo, Daily News Egypt reports. The festival moves around African countries: its first two editions were held in Nigeria in 2024 and Ghana in 2025, and Egypt won this one in an international competition.

The scale

• Business leaders, investors, policymakers and entrepreneurs from more than 70 countries.
• A target of more than 10,000 participants, over 200 investors and investment fund representatives, 60 international speakers and more than 100 exhibitors.
• Twelve flagship events, including a Global Deal Room for direct meetings between founders and investors, an International Congress of Women and an entrepreneurs' awards gala.

Who is coming

Among the speakers named are Aliko Dangote, Sir Mohamed Mansour, Sir Magdi Yacoub of the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation, Sir Sam Jonah and the Nigerian businesswoman Folorunso Alakija, alongside Egypt's Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Hussein Eissa, and the founder of Swvl, Mostafa Kandil. Topics include investment in Africa, artificial intelligence, the digital economy, the green transition and financing for young and women entrepreneurs.

For small businesses

• Egypt's small-business development agency has signed an agreement with the festival covering export readiness and investment.
• Shark Tank Egypt will connect start-ups with investors and give founders the chance to pitch.
• For the first time, an online 3D exhibition will let people take part from abroad, and will stay open for several weeks after the festival.

The festival's president, Dr Summy Smart Francis, described Egypt as a gateway linking Africa with the Middle East and Europe, and said the editions in Nigeria and Ghana had laid the festival's foundations.

Source: Daily News Egypt, 15 October 2026.