Egypt’s Entrepreneur Awards Reveal 2026 Finalists

Ahead of its sixth edition, taking place on November 26th at the Grand Egyptian Museum, Egypt’s Entrepreneur Awards (EEA) has unveiled the finalists across its nine categories. The announcement was made at a special ceremony in Cairo, marking the first time the awards have brought their shortlist into the public eye through an in-person event.

With three finalists in the running for each category, the shortlist offers a look at the businesses and founders shaping Egypt’s entrepreneurial landscape.


RISING STAR AWARD

For early-stage ventures, the challenge is turning a promising idea into a business with real potential. This award highlights founders already making that transition, recognising original ideas, bold solutions and early signs of market traction.

HERBANOL - Omar Osama

Herbanol is an Egyptian startup developing natural products and solutions, drawing on research and the potential of natural resources. Its work centres on translating ideas around natural ingredients and innovation into practical products.

PARLEX AI - Mohamed Mohsen, Ahmed Hammam

Parlex AI develops Arabic-first conversational and voice automation technology for banks and financial institutions. Its platform uses AI to automate customer engagement, collections, onboarding and KYC processes, with a focus on understanding Arabic dialects and financial terminology.

RAID AI - Ahmed Ehab, Mohamed Mounir, Moaz Salem, Mohamed Awad

Raid AI develops technology designed to detect and counter audio deepfakes in real time. Its tools focus on identifying manipulated audio and protecting sensitive communications against increasingly sophisticated AI-generated impersonation and fraud.


AGRITECH AWARD

From smarter farming methods to more efficient supply chains, technology is changing how food is grown, produced and distributed. This category looks at ventures bringing innovation to agriculture and the wider food value chain, including irrigation, robotics, biotechnology, sustainable production and digital marketplaces.

AGRICAN - Salem Ghanam

AgriCan is an Egyptian agritech company developing robotics and automation solutions for agricultural operations. Its technology includes robots designed to support tasks such as pesticide spraying, crop transportation and data collection, with the aim of improving efficiency and reducing the manual work involved in farming.

CROPSA - Fady Ibrahim, Abanob Gamal, Mahmoud Shehata

Cropsa is a digital agricultural marketplace connecting farms, suppliers and traders. Its platform supports the buying and selling of agricultural products, while also providing market information and digital services intended to make it easier for businesses across the agricultural sector to connect and trade.

EMPOWER CAPITAL - Hatem Elgamal and Haytham Elgamal

Empower Capital works in sustainability and resource recovery, developing solutions that turn agricultural and industrial food waste into useful resources. Its work includes converting organic waste into products such as biogas and biofertilisers, linking waste management with renewable energy and agricultural applications.


CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES IN E-COMMERCE AWARD

A good online shopping experience goes well beyond the point of purchase. This category looks at businesses using technology, design and data to rethink how customers discover products, browse, check out, receive orders and engage with brands afterwards, with an eye on building lasting customer loyalty.

KEMITT - Mahmoud Fouad

KEMITT is an Egyptian online marketplace focused on furniture and home décor. It connects customers with furniture designers and manufacturers, bringing products from different makers together on one platform and simplifying the process of discovering and purchasing pieces for the home.

TAYARA INC - Abanob Tawfik

Public information points to a company called Tayar Inc, founded in 2023, which operates a marketplace connecting businesses with freelance delivery riders. The platform is designed to help businesses access delivery capacity without maintaining an entirely in-house fleet.

VOO - Karim Abouzeid, Omar Abouzeid

VOO is an Egyptian quick-commerce platform offering groceries, snacks, household essentials and personal care products through an app. The company operates its own inventory and fulfilment model, managing the process from product availability to delivery rather than functioning solely as a marketplace.


DEEPTECH AWARD

Some of the most complex challenges require advances in science and engineering to solve. This award focuses on ventures translating those advances into practical applications, spanning artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, cybersecurity, blockchain and advanced materials.

INVICTUX - Bimal Mehta, Ahmed Farouk

Invictux is a cybersecurity company specialising in protecting operational technology (OT) and industrial control systems (ICS). Its services include security assessments, implementation, systems integration and managed solutions designed to protect critical infrastructure and industrial operations across sectors such as energy, utilities and manufacturing.

PEARL SEMICONDUCTOR - Ayman Ahmed, Akmal Elhak

Pearl Semiconductor is an Egyptian fabless semiconductor company developing integrated circuits, with a focus on high-performance timing technology and reference clock solutions. Its work targets applications across sectors including telecommunications, networking, automotive and industrial technology.

RASPIRE - Kareem Selim

Raspire is an Egyptian cybersecurity startup developing an AI-powered application security platform. Its technology is designed to identify and respond to digital threats, including fraud, API abuse and unauthorised access, helping businesses protect their applications and systems. 


DISRUPTIVE DUO FOR MARKET INNOVATIONS AWARD

When a startup joins forces with an established company, the combination can open up new possibilities for both. Presented by the AmCham Entrepreneurship and Innovation Committee, this award celebrates collaborations that have produced meaningful changes to an industry through new products, services or business models, bringing together the agility of startups and the resources and reach of larger businesses.

ERADA FINANCE + PAYMOB

Islam Shawky (Paymob)

HNDL FLEET MANAGEMENT + EGYPTIAN TRANS NSCO

Adham Hanafy (HNDL), Mostafa Aboelsaoud (HNDL), Mohamed Abugad (HNDL), Mohamed Ghareeb (HNDL) and Abir Leheta (Egytrans NOSCO)

LAYN + SODIC

Zeyad Zein (LAYN), Mohamed El-Hashemy (LAYN), Ayman Amer (SODIC), Ehab Amer (SODIC) and Ahmed Mokhtar (SODIC)


FINTECH FORWARD AWARD

The way people and businesses manage their money is changing, with technology reshaping everything from everyday payments to investment. This category recognises ventures working across digital banking, lending, insurance, wealth management and financial literacy, alongside other innovations in how money is moved, managed, saved and invested.

INVIA - Yehia Ashour

INVIA develops an AI-powered financial operating system for small and medium-sized businesses. Its platform brings together tools for bookkeeping, financial management, cash flow and inventory, helping businesses manage their finances and day-to-day operations in one place.

PAYMINT - Mohamed Yehya

PayMint is an Egyptian fintech company providing cashless payment and payroll management solutions. Its services help businesses manage salary payments while giving employees access to digital financial services and associated benefits.

SWYPEX - Ahmed Mansour, Mohamed Rabie

Swypex provides a financial management platform for businesses, bringing together corporate cards, payments, expense tracking and invoice management. The platform is designed to give companies greater visibility and control over their spending and financial operations.

HEALTH & WELLBEING AWARD

Better health outcomes depend on more than treatment alone. This category covers ventures working across digital health, medical technology, diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, preventive care and wellness, particularly those using innovation to widen access to care and improve its quality.

AQUAFIT - Sherif Yassin

Aquafit focuses on aquatic fitness and water-based exercise, offering training built around the physical benefits of exercising in water. Its approach brings together fitness and low-impact exercise for people looking for an alternative to conventional gym-based training.

DERMACY LABS - Amr Saleh

Dermacy Labs is an Egyptian skincare company developing products around research-led formulations and skin health. Public information on the company’s specific product range is limited, so its positioning would benefit from confirmation directly with the business.

OWN SNACKS  - Noor Gamali, Ameer Gamali

OWN Snacks is an Egyptian healthy-snacking company developing convenient food products positioned as alternatives to conventional packaged snacks. Its range focuses on more nutritious options for people looking to make different choices when it comes to everyday snacking.


PRODUCT DESIGN AWARD

Good product design brings together form, function and a clear understanding of how something will be used. This award recognises ventures and designers developing products that balance thoughtful aesthetics with practical purpose, creating intuitive and useful solutions for the people they are designed for.

BLOCK SOLUTIONS EGYPT - Ramy Mohamed Hassan, Domenico Anzelmi, Markus Silverberg

Block Solutions Egypt develops modular construction materials made using recycled plastic. Its building blocks are designed to offer an alternative to conventional construction materials, combining a focus on cost efficiency with more sustainable approaches to building.

HUMANITY CODE - Yara El Gabry, Yomna El Gabry

Humanity Code is an Egyptian activewear brand producing sportswear and everyday clothing. Its range includes pieces such as leggings, sports bras, tops and coordinated sets, bringing functional clothing into the wider lifestyle and fashion market.

PENCILIGHT - Mohamed Mabrouk

Pencilight is an Egyptian lighting design and manufacturing company creating decorative lighting for residential and commercial spaces. The business develops its designs locally and oversees their production, bringing design and manufacturing together under one roof.


PROPTECH AWARD

Technology is changing the property sector at every stage, from how people find and purchase homes to how buildings are constructed and managed. This category spotlights ventures applying technology and data to real estate, including property discovery, digital transactions, construction, smart buildings and asset management, with a focus on greater transparency, efficiency and accessibility.

BIRDNEST - Ahmed Fadda, Mostafa El-Nahawy

BirdNest operates in the hospitality and property management space, using technology to manage serviced accommodation and improve the experience of short-term stays. Its model brings together property operations and guest services, helping owners manage and market their spaces.

LEMON SPACES - Mohamed Ezzeldin Al Atrash

Lemon Spaces offers serviced apartments designed to provide an alternative to conventional hotel stays. The company combines furnished accommodation with hospitality services and technology-enabled processes, including guest check-in and support, catering to people looking for flexible short- and longer-term stays.

STITCH - Bassem Nassif

Stitch is a proptech platform developing AI-powered tools for real estate businesses. Its solutions support lead capture and qualification, sales processes and post-handover customer service.