In honour of International Women’s Day, we’re putting the spotlight on some of our hubs. Today: Egypt.
In 2025, Orange Corners Egypt reached an incredible record of 85% female participation in their cohort, which was the highest-ever female participation among all hubs. This wasn’t a matter of luck; it was deep cultural respect combined with a proactive, female-led approach to entrepreneurship.
How did they do it? Here’s a look at their ‘secret sauce’:
- Recognising local concerns, the Orange Corners Egypt hub is in the city centre to avoid dark or small streets. They even host orientation days for startups so they feel confident about the environment they’re joining.
- To ensure women can participate, sessions finish early so everyone can be home before dark. Additionally, strict media consent protocols protect the privacy of women participants.
- The team is over 90% female, including the programme manager. This builds immediate trust. A dedicated female community relations employee accompanies women to events they might otherwise miss due to gender barriers.
- By hosting female-focused workshops led by alumni, the hub has created a safe, lasting community where women feel they truly belong.
- Two dedicated channels – an email and a helpline answered by a female employee – allow participants to request help or suggest improvements at any time.
Egypt proves that the best way to support female entrepreneurs is to listen to them and adapt to their specific reality.
