GreenShift accelerator graduates 12 Egyptian green scaleups
Nahdet El Mahrousa and GIZ have graduated 12 green businesses from the GreenShift accelerator, backing them with EGP 57.5 million in total investment.
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giftdetect· the right gift in minutesNahdet El Mahrousa and Germany's GIZ have graduated 12 green businesses from the GreenShift accelerator, which provided a combined EGP 57.5 million in investment to expand growth and production capacity. The graduation took place at the GreenShift Summit in Cairo on October 27, 2026.
The programme is implemented by Nahdet El Mahrousa with GIZ and co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Government. The 12 companies, based in Greater Cairo and the Delta, work in climatetech, circular economy, recycling, sustainable materials and waste management. They are TileGreen Tech, Tilestic, Green Cycle, EGYMAG Biotechnology, Extractor Co., Mycelium, Up-Fuse, ZEE, Yadawee, Mrkoon, PLANQ Electronics and VeryNile.
What the programme delivered
GreenShift received 1,353 applications and trained 46 fellows through about 160 hours of training, consultations and a retreat. It also provided EGP 1.3 million in productive assets to 18 fellows and helped eight of the 12 funded businesses complete licensing and formalisation.
Equipment financing was a central focus. Mostafa Ashraf, private sector advisor at GIZ, said the high upfront cost of equipment is among the biggest challenges for these businesses, and that the programme addresses it by financing machinery. Islam Salah, founder of PLANQ Electronics, said the funding mattered but so did the expertise, while Extractor Co. founder Tarek Makram said the support helped speed up setting up his factory.
The summit
Held under the theme "Rethinking Tomorrow: From Green Businesses to Changing Industries", the one-day event brought together more than 150 industry leaders, policymakers, investors, development partners and entrepreneurs. Participants included the Ministry of Local Development and Environment, the National Solid Waste Management Programme, UNIDO, the EBRD, Flat6Labs and AUC Venture Lab, among others.
Sessions covered investment readiness, what makes a green business worth backing, and how to scale. Sector panels looked at how sustainable materials could transform construction and how bio-based alternatives could reshape agricultural practices. Dr. Mona Shehab of the National Solid Waste Management Programme said startups generate ideas and opportunities that support economic growth and national development plans.
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