Cairo — 7 December 2025 — Egypt is broadening its technology ambitions beyond its capital city, with the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) presenting new data that underscores the rise of regional innovation centres and the country’s growing appeal as a hub for digital services, engineering, and offshoring.
In a trend rarely seen across the Middle East and Africa, Egyptian tier 2 cities are emerging as credible alternatives for global companies seeking distributed, multilingual talent. ITIDA’s latest update spotlights Creativa Innovation Hub in Mansoura — now one of the most active local centres supporting tech upskilling, freelance employment and startup creation.
A Regional Model for Tech Growth
Since its establishment, Creativa Innovation Hub in Mansoura city has:
- Trained 11,600+ young people in digital and technical skills
- Supported 2,000+ entrepreneurs
- Helped develop 1,500+ digital prototypes
- Enabled more than 2,030 freelancers to access new income streams
- Hosted 19 hackathons and innovation challenges
- Built a growing pipeline of healthtech and AI-driven solutions startups
In 2025 alone, ITIDA supported 32+ startups, trained 2,400+ new participants, and provided services to 900+ freelancers, who reported an average annual income of $18,200 — a figure that marks a growing contribution of the gig economy to small and mid-sized cities.
The Creativa Innovation Hub in Mansoura is one of nationwide network of 26 centers supporting startups, freelancers & tech youth.
A Shift in the Geography of Egypt’s Tech Economy
“Egypt’s tech growth is no longer a Cairo-only story,” said Ahmed El-Zaher, CEO of ITIDA. “We are building capabilities in cities like Mansoura, Assiut, Luxor and Alexandria — places where talent is abundant, motivated and increasingly connected to global opportunities. This decentralization is becoming one of Egypt’s biggest competitive strengths.”
The shift is notable in a global context. While many emerging markets continue to concentrate tech work in capital cities, Egypt is actively steering investment and training programs into tier-2 locations — a strategy designed to ease urban pressure, expand economic inclusion and create a broader national talent base for international investors.
Private-Sector Momentum: qTech as a Regional Anchor
Mansoura’s rise is further reinforced by the growth of qTech, one of the region’s most established engineering and digital transformation companies. Backed by a team of 200 Egyptian engineers and IT specialists, qTech in Egypt operates across a broad spectrum of high-value technology disciplines, including software development, artificial intelligence, data engineering, quality assurance, business analysis, and digital product management, reflecting the depth of technical capabilities emerging in Egypt’s tier-2 cities.
The company’s footprint is part of a broader trend highlighted by Dr. Amr Talaat, Egypt’s Minister of ICT, who noted that Mansoura is now home to more than 90 local and multinational IT firms exporting services and operating offshoring centres, in addition to Egypt’s nationwide network of over 270 global delivery centres.
Global Demand Driving Local Capability
Demand for Egypt’s digital services has accelerated as companies in Europe, the Gulf and the United States are choosing Egypt as part of a deliberate strategy to access high-quality, multilingual talent and a mature offshoring ecosystem while diversifying their delivery models. Egypt offers:
- An abundant talent pool, digital skills, and a multilingual workforce with strong English, German, French and Gulf-Arabic capability
- Competitive cost structures
- A maturing engineering R&D, technology innovation ecosystem
- Robust government support coupled with modern, scalable infrastructure
- Policy stability and a cohesive, long-term national offshoring strategy
ITIDA’s recent Global Offshoring Summit highlighted this shift, positioning Egypt as a strategic partner rather than just a services destination — with growing strengths in high-value digital services, IC & chip design, embedded systems, AI-driven CX and multilingual business services.
Supporting Freelancers and the Digital Workforce
ITIDA also continues to expand ITIDA Gigs, a national initiative designed to support freelancers through training, mentorship, and access to global job platforms. New initiatives under development include solutions for healthcare coverage, professional documentation, digital project verification, and easier access to international clients.
A National Strategy Built on Inclusion
Egypt’s broadened tech narrative aligns with its ambition to create an economy where talent in any governorate can take part in the digital future. With new hubs coming active and private-sector partners expanding beyond Cairo, ITIDA’s approach is reshaping Egypt’s national innovation map and creating new entry points for international firms seeking scale and diversity; further expanding Egypt’s offshoring footprint and the national presence of global players.
About ITIDA
The Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) is Egypt’s national agency for developing the IT industry, expanding digital exports, and enabling global technology investment. ITIDA works with international companies, training partners and innovation hubs across Egypt to build talent pipelines, support startup growth and strengthen the country’s position as a leading offshoring destination and technology services.
