Minister of Communications and Information Technology Dr. Tarek Kamel and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Dr. Hani Helal inaugurated today the Sixth Investing in Technology Forum.
The event, entitled "Technology, a Tempting alternative for Arab Capitals during the Financial Crisis," is held in Cairo under the auspices of Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Nazif from 12-14 May, 2009
The forum is jointly organized by Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF) in cooperation with Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) and Nile University.
ITIDA CEO Dr. Hazem Abdelazim stated that the forum is one of the most important Arab meetings, aiming to create partnership and investment opportunities in the region. It will address a number of key issues related to the role of multinational companies in boosting individual initiatives and private businesses.
The meeting will also tackle the current status of risk capital investments in the region and the impact of the Global Financial Crisis on the development of the business sector across the world.
Nile University Acting President Dr. Tarek Khalil said the forum is expected to host more than 500 companies and investors, who represent a major significance in the model of developing technological and economic projects.
Dr. Khalil pointed out that the forum is the only venue in the Arab World for promoting promising technological projects and initiatives.
In addition to the regular conference sessions and workshops, the forum meetings include sessions on “Private Investors-Entrepreneurs Matchmaking,” "Multinational Corporations and Global Entrepreneurship Development" and "Seed and Angel Investment Development in the Arab Countries."
Minister of Investment Dr. Mahmoud Mohie Eddin will contribute to the closing session as a keynote speaker. The session will tackle the strategy Egypt has adopted to boost the IT sector compared to those of the neighboring countries, especially Arab states to face the crisis.
The closing session will discuss technology as a means of overcoming the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis and Egypt's strategy of setting priorities of investing in several sectors, especially technology.
On the sidelines of the forum, “Startups Demo Exhibition,” will be held for the first time to be a great opportunity for Arab startup companies to present their achievements and expansion plans to investors and potential partners looking.
Investing in Technology Forum is one of the major events focusing on stimulating more investments in emerging technologies in the Arab World. The forum works on opening communication channels between small and medium sized enterprises (SME)s and venture capital companies in the region.
More than 550 researchers and entrepreneurs, 160 organizations and 80 speakers from 26 Arab and foreign countries participated in the previous five forum rounds held in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Amman Jordan.
