Where to set up when the home office isn’t working for you

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TONIGHT

T-24 hrs to this year’s EnterpriseAM Egypt Forum

Good afternoon, friends. We’re less than 24 hours away from Forum Day. The EnterpriseAM Egypt Forum: The AI Edition is kicking off tomorrow at 8 am, bringing together 500+ of the people who run this economy. We have a couple of dozen business leaders joining us on stage to discuss the pertinent questions of our era — what does AI really mean for your business, your people, and what do you do about it? Follow us and stay tuned for coverage on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Also happening tomorrow, we launch the latest publication in our umbrella: EnterpriseAM AI + Innovation. Our latest must-read vertical will cover what works in this burgeoning sector, who is leading the game, and what is changing and evolving by the week. We’ll help you sort the real threats and prospects from the noise: AI news from MENA and around the world, how it’s reshaping our economies, and how businesses across the region are actually using it. We’ll go deep on the innovation economy too, from chip design to biotech. Edited by Joseph Marks (LinkedIn) — formerly of The Washington Post and Politico — the edition will start off on a twice-a-week cadence and is brought to you with the support of our friends at MNT-Halan. Tap or click here to sign up.

In today’s issue: Our Enterprise Guide rounds up Cairo’s top coworking spaces and quieter café spots for a different kind of workday — you know, the ones with reliable wifi, good coffee, and a tolerance for back-to-back calls. We also have a five-episode Atlantic podcast series on how best to unplug.

Without further ado, the news…

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

🌐 Leading the news circuits this afternoon is German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit to Kyiv. A Russian drone struck the Ukrainian capital’s North Bridge earlier today as Merz arrived to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with air raid sirens and explosions heard across the city. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the strike damaged the bridge and injured two people. The bridge strike is part of a recent Russian escalation against Kyiv’s infrastructure, with Russia targeting the city’s bridges and transport links over the past few days.

Merz is set to announce EUR 1 bn in military aid and EUR 350 mn for energy infrastructure repairs in Ukraine, while the two nations are also expected to finalize a joint drone-production agreement. Merz said Ukraine is entering “decisive weeks” and that Germany will remain a reliable partner, writing on X that Ukraine “can rely on us.”

^^Read more on: CNN, BBC, Reuters, and The Guardian.

IN TECH NEWS- AI safety is thrust back into the spotlight once again as David Robinson, a former safety leader at OpenAI, quit his post at the AI giant following concerns over the company’s approach to AI safety. Robinson, who helped oversee safety reports for 12 of OpenAI’s frontier-model launches, argued that its “culture is broken” and that AI firms are not moving carefully enough.

In an essay published in The Atlantic, Robinson said OpenAI’s rapid release cycle was preventing the company from exercising the level of caution he believes advanced AI requires. He pointed to recent incidents involving autonomous AI agents and argued that “the time for trial and error is over,” calling for safeguards closer to those used in high-risk industries such as aviation and nuclear power.

^^Read more on: Reuters and The Guardian.

MEANWHILE- Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff has broken his silence over allegations that a student was drugged and gang-raped at a fraternity house in October 2024, calling the case “deeply disturbing” and acknowledging that the university must do better. In a video statement issued Saturday, Kotlikoff backed an independent review of Cornell’s handling of the case and welcomed the transfer of the criminal investigation to New York’s attorney general. The university will also reassess the role of fraternities and sororities on campus, with Kotlikoff pledging greater accountability, transparency, and stronger measures to prevent sexual violence on campus.

^^Read more on: CNN, Reuters, BBC, and Associated Press.

Delighted to welcome Mirna Arif as a guest speaker at the 2026 EnterpriseAM Egypt Forum.

Mirna Arif is an accomplished business leader with over two decades of cross-sector experience across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She currently serves as General Manager for Microsoft’s Middle East and Africa Growth Markets, overseeing operations across Egypt and other emerging markets, with a focus on digital transformation and inclusive economic growth.

In January 2026, Mirna was appointed by H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi as a Member of the Egyptian Parliament (House of Representatives), a testament to her dedication to public service and her commitment to shaping Egypt’s future through policy, technology, and inclusive development.

She was previously General Manager of Microsoft Egypt, the first woman to hold the role, and has held senior leadership positions at Microsoft Dubai, GE Oil & Gas, and Schlumberger. She was named among Forbes Middle East’s 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen in both 2024 and 2025, and serves on the boards of Banque Misr and the Egyptian National Council for Women.

Registration is now closed. Thank you to everyone who registered. We look forward to welcoming you on Monday, 5 October.

** CATCH UP QUICK on the top stories from today’s EnterpriseAM:

The CBE’s anti-money laundering unit issued updated customer due diligence guidelines for banks operating in Egypt and their foreign branches. The updated framework formally incorporates new banking practices that have emerged since the 2020 amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering Act, including electronic know-your-customer (eKYC);
Foreigners have spent the year selling Egyptian stocks, and MNT-Halan’s IPO is shaping up as one of the best chances in years to bring them back. We previously reported high interest across in-person and virtual roadshows in the UK, the GCC, the US, and beyond. MNT’s bankers were pitching investors on a valuation of up to USD 1 bn for the Egypt arm alone when they began testing the waters in June;
At the Egypt Mining Forum: Naguib Sawiris’ In2Metals and its Egypt subsidiary AKH Gold have bid for five new exploration blocks in the Eastern Desert. This adds to the four concessions the company already holds. The bids come under the third open-sector round, the rolling system that replaced fixed tenders in June;
The Finance Ministry is studying an issuance with other government bodies as part of a push to pre-fund losses from severe natural disasters and climate shocks. The program comes after four years of global economic turbulence and climate risk landing on the budget.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- Good news, folks, we’re in for another cool day in Cairo. Temperatures are set to peak at a cloudy 30°C, with an overnight low of 20°C, according to our favorite weather app.

From Zamalek to New Cairo, here’s where to set up when the home office isn’t working for you

💻 The discussion around the pros and cons of remote work is pretty much a dead horse — one we’ve beaten ourselves — but the fact is this: many of us here in Om El Donia more often than not find ourselves working remotely, and so the practical question becomes: “If I don’t want to work at home, where should I?” Cairo, east or west, has no shortage of spots where you’d find 9-to-5ers cozied up with their laptops — but where do you go when you’re seeking a quiet atmosphere, minimal interruptions, good coffee, and the company of like-minded professionals?

In this week’s edition of The Enterprise Guide, we’re listing our favorite coworking spaces — some you’ll already be familiar with, some you won’t — and quaint spots where you can get your work done and take as many international calls as your heart desires, or your to-do list dictates.

The tried and true

Some spaces have earned their reputation by getting the basics right, consistently. MQR, Consoleya, and Kamelizer Spaces are Cairo’s coworking stalwarts — and if you’ve spent any time working outside the home, odds are you’ve already found yourself in at least one of them. MQR has the widest footprint of the three, with branches in Downtown, New Cairo, Maadi, Sheikh Zayed, and October, which means there’s probably one near wherever you happen to be. Quiet shared spaces, reliable WiFi, a coffee corner, and a culture that keeps the chatter down are what to expect.

Consoleya is a different proposition: an almost-century-old former French Consulate building in Downtown, renovated to the point where answering emails feels dignified. It also runs 24/7, which puts it in a category of its own for anyone working against a deadline or a timezone. Kamelizer, with branches in District 5 and Sheikh Zayed, is the quieter option on either side of the capital and happens to be a short walk from enough lunch spots to make the decision of where to work a little easier.

For the full breakdown on each of these classic go-tos — rates, membership tiers, and how to book — revisit our 2025 coworking guide.

Off the beaten path

#1- Founders Spaces: Similar to Consoleya, Founders Spaces is housed in a century-old villa in the heart of the city. It doesn’t bill itself as just a coworking space, but as a “sanctuary for innovators, entrepreneurs, and visionaries to thrive” — and the setup reflects that. The space is built around uninterrupted work, with a community of professionals who are there for the same reason you are. It’s also a genuinely good place to network, should the mood strike. You’ll get access to meeting rooms, high-speed WiFi, daily cleaning, personal storage, and complimentary beverages.

Rates: A dedicated desk runs approximately EGP 1.9k per week or EGP 7.2k per month. Hot desks for nomads go for EGP 3.6-4k per month, with daily passes available at EGP 400. Book through their website.

WHERE TO FIND IT- 22 El Shaikh Rihan Street, Abdeen, Downtown Cairo.

#2- Soil Spaces and Soil Sips: If you can’t work without a steady stream of caffeine, Soil Sips is worth knowing about. Billed as a coworking space “brewed for the ones who build things,” it’s not your average café — you’ll find dedicated workstations alongside comfortable indoor and outdoor seating for a more casual day, with additional options if you need to lock in. Soil Sips is part of Soil Spaces, a design-led operation that wants you as comfortable as you’d be at home. The wider space offers four distinct environments — Blooms, Roots, Pods, and Clay — each suited to different working styles, as well as dedicated long-term offices for those who need something more permanent.

Rates: A half-day pass starts from EGP 500, with a full day at EGP 800, and longer passes climbing to EGP 32k for 50 days in certain spaces. Head to their website for the full breakdown. Bookings can be made through the app. (App Store | Google Play)

WHERE TO FIND IT- B01, New Business Park, Mivida, New Cairo.

#3- Kroo Creative Collective: Heliopolis residents, this one’s for you. Kroo is a coworking space designed with quiet as its first priority — soundproof pods, hot desks, and private offices make up the setup, and the whole thing is built around the idea that you should be able to actually focus. High-speed internet, lockers, a coffee shop onsite, and housekeeping services for longer-term bookings round out the offering.

Rates: Rates tend to run lower than the other spaces listed here. Fill out this form for personalized pricing details.

WHERE TO FIND IT- 18 Baghdad Street, Heliopolis.

#4- Aura Space: A community space with a coworking element, Aura wants your 9-5 and the 5-9 that follows. Aura boasts meeting rooms, podcast studios, and even event halls — all reservable by the hour, rather than by day. Aside from its private workstations and offices, Aura frequently hosts a slew of community events and workshops, such as game nights, art sessions, movie clubs, and more.

Rates: Outdoor tables seating up to six are available for EGP 200 per hour; meeting rooms fitting 15 come at EGP 300 per hour; and other spaces for larger parties can climb up to EGP 2k per hour. Check the full list of offerings (and how to book) on their website.

WHERE TO FIND IT- 9 Street 251, Degla, Maadi.

Cafés where quiet is king

Sometimes, however, working remotely means you want to get out of the office mindset entirely — that’s where these spots come in. Despite not being coworking spaces per se, these cafés are more often than not frequented by freelancers and professionals looking for a change of scenery to get work done, which means you’ll find plenty of calm (and good coffee).

#1- Limbo: Perched in Zamalek’s Om Kolthoum Hotel & Tower with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Nile, Limbo is the kind of spot that makes a four-hour work session feel less like one. The seating is comfortable, the table layout is designed with enough spacing to give you a sense of privacy, and the staff is friendly without hovering. The coffee holds up too — a flat white that actually tastes like one, and a menu broad enough that you won’t run out of reasons to stay another hour.

WHERE TO FIND IT- Abu El Feda, Zamalek.

#2- The Rue, Drop The Shop: Hailed as one of Egypt’s biggest and newest “third spaces” by its founder Hussein Shahbender, Drop the Shop’s flagship store isn’t just a place to go to shop — but rather a one-stop shop. You’ll find specialty coffee place The Rue, where you can sip and sift through Excel sheets, grab a bite at Pacha Mama, book a yoga class after, and perhaps round out the day with a haircut.

WHERE TO FIND IT- You can find Drop the Shop at LMD’s One-Ninety in New Cairo.

Honorable (tried-and-tested) mentions:

Beano’s Café — St. 81, Maadi branch;
Diwan Café — Heliopolis, Maadi, and Zamalek branches;
Bibliothek — Arkan Plaza branch.

Done with your work but still need to talk business? Check out our guide to Cairo’s best tables for finalizing agreements over a good meal — or, if food’s off the agenda, where to take your business partners after hours.

The Atlantic’s How to Touch Grass addresses our modern-day tech anxieties

🎧 The latest season of The Atlantic’s How To podcast series proposes How to Touch Grass — a timely take on our increasingly tech-ruled lives. A common response to being chronically online, “go outside and touch grass” is a euphemism we can all benefit from every once in a while. Co-hosts Natalie Brennan and Julie Beck use the series to ask listeners to re-evaluate their relationship with technology and consider how they can use it more intentionally.

What to expect: The series kicked off last July and ran for five weeks until mid-August, delivering a short-and-sweet roster of only five episodes, each with a 30- to 40-minute runtime. Aptly, it opens with an episode on pre-internet nostalgia, exploring our growing antagonism toward the internet and technology and the temptation to switch back to analog or older devices to simulate a tech-less life where we actually did touch more grass. Other episodes dig into the obvious AI takeover, how it’s making us more anxious, the effects of a visually dominant internet, and ways to reclaim our attention spans.

The fourth episode of the series looks into perhaps the most existential question facing us in the AI era: Do we actually need to learn anything if machines can already do so much for us? Together with guest cognitive psychologist and professor Michelle Miller, hosts Brennan and Beck probe the true value of learning and why it’s a lifelong experience. As an educator herself, Miller describes learning and teaching as “one of the highest expressions of humanity that there is.”

Beyond its benefits for character building and our brains in general, she argues that learning is inherently social, often motivated by our desire for connection and self-agency. Miller also cautions against completely antagonizing technology, instead framing it as a natural progression of human invention — the question is not whether we use technology, but how we choose to use it.

What we liked: The podcast strikes a light, bright, and conversational tone, despite the somewhat cautionary subject it tackles. The episodes feel more urgent than ever but are still fun and engaging, with the final one even featuring an experiment run by the hosts themselves. Overall, the show lives up to its name — relevant, playful, and thoughtful. The hosts are friendly and casual, while Miller makes for a strong guest on the fourth episode, with plenty of insight to offer and a lot of food for thought on our approach to AI and machine learning.

The verdict: How to Touch Grass is the perfect listen for when you’re feeling overwhelmed by our fast-moving era. It’s appropriately meditative, asking the right questions and giving substantive, accommodating answers. If you have some spare time this week, pop in your headphones and work your way through the series for an interesting listen on your daily commute.

WHERE TO LISTEN- You can tune in on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube.

Egypt and South Africa face off in a friendly + Portugal host Norway in the Nations League

⚽ Matchday 4 of the UEFA Nations League gets underway today with eight fixtures on the books, headlined by Portugal vs. Norway at 9:45pm on beIN Sports 1. Portugal are in Lisbon, having already secured all three of their opening group matches — beating Wales 1-0, Norway 2-1 away in Oslo, and then Denmark 4-2 in Copenhagen— to sit top of their group. Norway will be in dire need of a good result.

Other UEFA Nations League fixtures happening tonight:

Azerbaijan vs. Lithuania — 4pm, beIN Sports 3;
Malta vs. Andorra — 7pm, beIN Sports 2;
Kosovo vs. Austria — 7pm, beIN Sports 1;
Greece vs. Germany — 9:45pm, beIN Sports 3;
The Netherlands vs. Serbia — 9:45pm, beIN Sports 4;
Wales vs. Denmark — 9:45pm, beIN Sports 2.

WHAT YOU’LL WANT TO WATCH TONIGHT- Egypt will be taking on South Africa in a friendly face-off at 9pm. The match will be broadcast on ON Sport and will be played at Cairo International Stadium.

🥅 ICYMI-

🤾 On the handball court: Al Ahly beat Zamalek 30-25 in the bronze medal match of the IHF Men’s Club World Championship in Cairo — the first time the two clubs had ever met at the tournament. It was Al Ahly’s third podium finish at the Club World Championship — silver in 2007, bronze in 2024, and bronze again now.

The champions: The final face-off saw Veszprém HC of Hungary beat Barcelona 42-33 to claim the title — the Hungarian side’s second Club World Championship crown.

In the UEFA Nations League, the weekend’s standout result was England’s 7-0 demolition of Croatia yesterday — their biggest Nations League W ever. Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka scored two each; Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, and substitute Morgan Rogers completed the rout.

AND- Spain did what they do best, beating Czech Republic 3-1 to extend their unbeaten run to 41 games.

Other highlights from the weekend: On Thursday, Portugal beat Denmark 4-2 in Copenhagen, Germany beat Serbia 2-0 in Jürgen Klopp’s first victory of the season, and Greece and the Netherlands played out a 2-2 draw.

Clean sweeps on Friday: Belgium beat Turkey 3-0, Poland demolished Romania 6-0, and Northern Ireland dominated the pitch against Ukraine 3-0.

Egyptian megastar Amr Diab to perform at Al Manara Arena this December

🎤⛰️ Planning ahead for winter already? You’ll want to circle this concert on your calendar. Whether you’re an “Amarein” kind of listener or you’ve been secretly humming “El Alwan” all summer long, there’ll be something for you when Egyptian megastar Amr Diab takes the stage on Thursday, 3 December at Al Manara Arena in Cairo, presented by Orange, to perform his biggest hits. You can get your tickets through TicketsMarché.

What the markets are doing on 4 October 2026

The EGX30 rose 1.6% at today’s close on turnover of EGP 10.3 bn (10.6% below the 90-day average). Local investors were the sole net buyers. The index is up 28.9% YTD.

In the green: Misr Cement (+15.9%), Telecom Egypt (+8.2%), and EFG Holding (+7.4%).

In the red: Palm Hills Developments (-1.7%), AMOC (-1.1%), and Qalaa Holdings (-1.0%).

THE ENTERPRISEPM ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

🗓️ OCTOBER

6 September - 30 October (Sunday-Friday): Khayal Mareed at Theatro Arkan.

21 September - 20 October (Monday - Tuesday): International Flower Exhibition at Al Horreya Garden, Zamalek.

1-4 October (Thursday-Sunday): She Arts Festival at Ewart Memorial Hall, AUC Tahrir Square.

4 October (Sunday): Exclusive Material Tryout by Mohamed Helmy at Theatro Arkan.

4-5 October (Sunday-Monday): Omar Khairat at Cairo Opera House.

5 October (Monday): EnterpriseAM Egypt Forum.

6 October (Tuesday): Armed Forces Day.

8 October (Thursday): Ragheb Alama at Porto Sokhna.

8 October (Thursday): Hamid El Shaeri at The Village, Sheikh Zayed.

8 October (Thursday): Exclusive Material Tryout by Mohamed Helmy at Theatro Arkan.

8-10 October (Thursday-Saturday): Genre-crossing workshop: We Are Not Afraid to Love with Nur Turkmani and Mai Serhan at Ardi, Dahshur.

8-11 October (Thursday-Sunday): Starlight Festival in partnership with Visa at The Great Pyramids of Giza.

9 October (Friday): Abdelrahman Mohamed’s Man3an Lel Ehrag at Teatro 90.

10 October (Saturday): El Leila El Kebira at Teatro 90.

11 October (Sunday): Tamer Ashour Fundraising Concert at Al Qubaah Palace.

11-13 October (Sunday-Tuesday): Crowd Gigs by Mohamed Helmy at Theatro Arkan.

11 October - 2 November (Sunday-Monday): Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF).

11 October - 8 November (Sunday-Sunday): Cairo International Art District by Art D’Egypte at Downtown Cairo.

15-23 October (Thursday-Friday): El Gouna Film Festival.

16 October (Friday): Tul8te at Al Manara Arena.

16 October (Friday): Omar Khairat at Fustat Festival.

16-17 October (Friday-Saturday): GEM Family Weekend at the Grand Egyptian Museum.

16-17 October (Friday-Saturday): Ultra Relay Run by The TriFactory at AUC, New Cairo.

16-17 October (Friday-Saturday): Egypt Coffee Festival at Kamelizer, District 5.

17 October (Saturday): Amr Selim at Teatro 90.

17 October (Saturday): Steps Summit at Sodic Sports Club, Sodic Eastown.

17 October (Saturday): Konnect Summit at The Greek Campus, El Tahrir St.

23-24 October (Friday-Saturday): Sukun’s Tulua Wellness Festival at IL Monte Galala, El Sokhna.

23 October (Friday): Alaa El Sheikh’s Play Crowd Vol.02 at Teatro 90.

24 October (Saturday): Blue 25th Anniversary Tour at New Capital.

28-31 October (Wednesday-Saturday): Egypt’s Cheese Festival at Al Horreya Garden, Zamalek.

29 October (Thursday): Fatma Said at the GEM.

30 October (Friday): Fustat Festival: Ekhtarna Lak with Hisham Abbas, Hamid El Shaeri, Mohamed Fouad, and Ehab Tawfik.

31 October (Saturday): Aziz Maraka at E7kky Festival at Bermillan Mall, Sheikh Zayed.

NOVEMBER

4 November (Wednesday): Angham at the New Opera House in the City of Arts and Culture.

5 November (Thursday): Gala De Danza at the Grand Egyptian Museum.

5 November (Thursday): Nour Hajjar Stand up Comedy show at Teatro 90.

5-7 November (Thursday-Saturday): Cairo Jazz Festival at AUC Tahrir Square.

6 November (Friday): Angham at the New Opera House in the City of Arts and Culture.

6 November (Friday): 20 Years of Ramy Sabry at El Arena.

2-7 November (Monday-Saturday): Barbara O’Neill Wellness Journey at Sheraton Miramar Resort, El Gouna.

11-20 November (Wednesday-Friday): Cairo International Film Festival.

12-14 November (Thursday-Saturday): Max Amini at St. Regis, New Capital.

14 November (Saturday): Trauma comedy special by Momos at CJC 610.

19-28 November (Thursday-Saturday): Cairo Design Week.

20 November (Friday): Saad El Oud at Ewart Memorial Hall, AUC Tahrir Square.

21 November (Saturday): El Gouna Half Marathon.

28 November (Saturday): Shakira at The Great Pyramids of Giza.

DECEMBER

3 December (Thursday): Amr Diab at Al Manara Arena.

4 December (Friday): Ghostly Kisses at Zed Park, Sheikh Zayed.

11-12 December (Friday-Saturday): The Marakez Pyramids Half Marathon at The Great Pyramids of Giza.

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