The Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) has launched a program to boost the exports of Egyptian IT Outsourcing (ITO) small and medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to European markets. The program is within the framework of the cooperation agreement inked by ITIDA with the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands, the Chamber of Information Technology and Telecommunications (CIT), the Egyptian Information, Telecommunications, Electronics, and Software Alliance (EITESAL), and Nile University.
The three-year program aims to support Egyptian ITO SMEs in their export journey to the European Union (EU) by offering technical assistance through a practical business export coaching project. The program also equips Egyptian companies with the skills and know-how needed to access European markets.
The beneficiary SMEs will receive three years of coaching delivered by international and local experts, and assistance with the creation of an international market strategy. Additionally, the program will provide guidance, advice and coaching on the type of certification suitable for their market entry strategy. It will also help improve the companies’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), offer market orientation support and help the companies land export business opportunities.
The program is one in a set of actions that ITIDA is adopting to achieve its ambitious strategy aiming at tripling the size of Egypt’s BPO and ITO exports over the next five years. The program targets SMEs and women-led companies that offer ITO services and are interested in an improved market position in the EU and in contributing to an enhanced ecosystem for SMEs.
Applying SME must be at least 50% or more locally-owned or has a local management structure; and has at least 10 full-time employees and a maximum of 250. Applicants should also have been active in the ITO industry for at least 3-4 years; have no joint venture with a company based in a non-developing country; and no licensing commitments that prohibit or limit the export of products to the EU. Management of applying companies should also be able to communicate in English.
CBI will finance most project costs. Participants will bear the travel expenses for European market entry activities, investment in product offers, employees, and certification.
CBI signed an agreement with the Egyptian government to launch its comprehensive program to develop the export capabilities of Egyptian IT SMEs, provided that they specialize in software or mobile application development, business management program development and relevant fields.
