Egypt is accelerating the expansion of its technology ecosystem beyond Cairo, as the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) highlights the growing importance of regional innovation centres and the country’s rising appeal as a destination for digital services, engineering, and offshoring. Tier-2 cities are now emerging as strong alternatives for global companies seeking distributed, multilingual talent, marking a shift in the geography of Egypt’s tech economy.
Mansoura’s Creativa Innovation Hub has emerged as one of the most active regional centres. Since its launch, the hub has trained more than 11,600 young people in digital and technical skills, supported over 2,000 entrepreneurs, enabled the development of 1,500 digital prototypes, and helped 2,030 freelancers generate new income opportunities. It has also hosted 19 hackathons and innovation challenges, while nurturing a growing pipeline of healthtech and AI-driven startups.
In 2025 alone, ITIDA supported more than 32 startups, trained 2,400 new participants, and provided services to over 900 freelancers, who reported an average annual income of $18,200. Creativa is part of a nationwide network of 26 centres designed to empower startups, freelancers, and digital talent across the country, reinforcing Egypt’s efforts to decentralize tech-driven growth.
Private-sector players are also strengthening the momentum. In Mansoura, qTech, an engineering and digital transformation company, employs 200 engineers and IT specialists across software development, AI, data engineering, quality assurance, business analysis, and digital product management. The presence of more than 90 local and multinational IT firms in the city, alongside Egypt’s 270 global delivery centres nationwide, underlines the expanding role of tier-2 cities as technology hubs.
Egypt’s offshoring ecosystem is increasingly driven by demand from Europe, the Gulf, and the United States, with companies attracted by competitive costs, a strong engineering base, government backing, scalable infrastructure, and policy stability. Programs such as ITIDA Gigs further support freelancers with training, mentorship, and access to global job platforms.
This regional tech expansion reflects a national strategy centered on inclusion, enabling talent in every governorate to participate in the digital economy. With innovation hubs spreading beyond Cairo and deeper private-sector involvement, Egypt is reshaping its innovation landscape and strengthening its position as a key hub for offshoring and high-value digital services.
