Enterprise sat down with the Nahdet Misr CEOand founder of its VC arm EdVentures Dalia Ibrahim (LinkedIn) to learn more about the Egyptian edtech sector and what trends and news to look out for in 2024. Below are edited excerpts from our conversation.

ENTERPRISE: What can you tell us about EdVentures’ plans to invest USD 5 mn inlocal and regional startups?

DALIA IBRAHIM: EdVentures plans to invest up to USD 500k each into 10-12 Egyptian and international startups,in some cases exceeding this amount depending on the company. We have not identified all of the companies, but we have a pool of nine, including a company in Africa, another one in Canada, and seven companies in Egypt. We will deploy funds in four or five of them according to the negotiations and the final agreements. This will continue all year, we are just in February, so we still have ten months to go. EdVentures also operates incubation acceleration programs, from which we select and invest in some companies.

E: EdVentures places a lot of focus not just on funding startups, but providingmentorship. Why do you give this the same importance as providing funding?

DI: It’s not all about money, it’s much more important to have mentors and coaches and to help startups with what they are doing. Startups join EdVentures because we’re a corporate venture related to the biggest publishing and education content company in Egypt — Nahdet Misr. We are a huge group of 11 companies based in Egypt and abroad, working in curriculum development, vocational education content, digitalization, and school management.

Alongside offering funds and knowhow, EdVentures provides connections to the top managers in education, coding and programming, AI business development, as well as connections to ministries, universities, and schools and different countries.

E: Why does EdVentures think that Egyptian edtech startups make good investments?

DI: Egypt’s startup market is still growing and has not yet matured, which means that thecompetition is very high. There is a real potential for businesses that disrupt the market and the traditional education system. People still need digital content, so there are a lot of gaps that should be filled by startups, especially as the concept of education goes beyond just K-12 or university. Every one of us needs development and learning.

EdVentures’ investments are not only limited to potential unicorns, we support and invest in startups that will never scale up to that level, but have a real social impact and will continue to grow and be sustainable.

E: What trends do you think we will see within the local edtech sector this year?

DI: Artificial intelligence is booming in all sectors and it can be integrated across all types ofedtech programs and startups to cover any type of content, data analysis, school management and behaviors, social intelligence, and soft skills. Using AI gives you a lot of analytics and understanding regarding the behavior of students and it also helps teachers become more efficient. One study has indicated that some 40% of a teacher’s time is lost preparing material beyond the direct interaction between them and the students.

AR and VR are also booming and they should be integrated according to the real need for them, rather than just making use of them because they are there. For example, if you want to teach vocational education in relation to safety, VR can act as a great tool.

Micro-learning and interactive material are another potential focus, startups can use short,TikTok style videos or reels that quickly disseminate information. Instead of watching a half hour lesson, students can access material that breaks down the lesson into smaller units, which ensures that they have understood the lesson through an assessment.

E: Where do you think optimism levels regarding the Egyptian edtech sector stand from a venture capital perspective?

DI: There is huge potential in Egypt as the cost of doing business here is comparativelyreasonable when you look at it from the perspective of Arab and international investors. Startups can receive great valuations, operation costs are low, and you have a great pool of capable talent. Egypt-based startups can develop new ideas at a very reasonable price and reach regional and international levels.

The market is also growing, there’s a study that says that Egypt’s edtech sector will be worthUSD 5.5 bn by 2028, up from USD 2.5 bn in 2022.

E: What do you think the impact of the anticipated devaluation of the EGP could have on venture capital investments in the edtech sector?

DI: It’s a double-edged sword edge. For investors they can invest or acquire a startup at a very reasonable price and still guarantee an operation on the ground. On the other hand, if a company operates only in Egypt and it only makes EGP revenues, of course it lowers the value of the startup itself. Most edtech startups want to work outside of Egypt as the income and returns are considered very high as they are received in foreign currency.

E: Why do you think so many local edtech startups are looking to expand outside ofEgypt?

DI: It’s for several reasons. The first is that startups have to grow, even under abnormaleconomic conditions, growth has to be part of their strategy.

Secondly, when you operate mainly from Egypt and you sell [your services] in different countries you are guaranteed a much higher profit margin. So stepping into new markets is important. But of course, local startups need a success story in Egypt first.

E: What’s next for EdVentures?

DI: We are planning to invest in almost ten startups or even more this year and support around 12 startups in an acceleration program and at least eight startups through our incubation program. Our return on investment is amazing and exceeds 5.4x, so a lot of investors feel very safe investing with us.

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