Deloitte Innovation Hub solidified its commitment to Egypt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem last weekend, taking on an expanded role as Enterprise Innovation Partner at RiseUp Summit 2026. The three-day event at the Grand Egyptian Museum drew over 15,000 attendees and 400 global speakers, positioning itself as a critical networking platform for the region’s startup community.
This marks the second consecutive year Deloitte has participated in the summit, but with a significantly larger footprint. While the firm made waves in 2025 through keynote appearances and specialised workshops, this year’s engagement deployed substantially more talent and technical resources to support Egypt’s growing tech scene.
From Attendee to Architect
The Cairo-based hub, which now employs over 750 professionals, created a dedicated lounge space that functioned as both a networking hub and a learning centre. Senior leaders facilitated panel discussions while interactive masterclasses covered pressing topics in AI and cybersecurity. These are two areas where Egyptian startups are increasingly competing on a global stage.
Sulabh Soral, Chief AI Officer and Partner at Deloitte UK, delivered one of the summit’s standout sessions with a live demonstration titled “Agentic Reliability as the Basis for Large-Scale Adoption of Agentic AI in the Enterprise.” The presentation addressed a critical challenge facing companies attempting to scale AI implementations beyond pilot projects.
Building Bridges Between Local and Global
For Hani Girgis, CEO and Managing Partner of Deloitte Innovation Hub, the partnership represents more than corporate participation. Last year’s summit provided direct access to ambitious young founders, interactions that shaped how the firm now engages with local talent.
“This year, we came back with renewed energy and focus, connecting homegrown ingenuity with global expertise,” Girgis explained. “It’s a privilege to witness firsthand how local ambition, when paired with international standards, can spark meaningful regional impact.”
The hub’s growth trajectory supports this vision. What began as a modest team of 23 experts has expanded into a workforce delivering complex technical solutions for clients across the EMEA region. The firm recently committed an additional $80 million over three years to strengthen Egypt’s digital ecosystem, building on an initial $30 million investment.
Leadership at Scale
Ahmed Salem, COO of Deloitte Innovation Hub, used his fireside chat on “The Leadership Challenges of Global Operations” to address the realities of managing distributed teams. His message resonated with entrepreneurs navigating similar challenges as they scale beyond Egypt’s borders.
“Leading a team across borders today is no longer just about time zones; it’s about culture, trust, and alignment at scale,” Salem noted, speaking to an audience of founders grappling with their own expansion plans.
A Strategic Turning Point
RiseUp Summit’s 2026 theme, “The Turning Point,” proved particularly apt. The event has evolved from a regional networking opportunity into a platform where international tech giants like Google, IBM, Meta, and OpenAI share space with local startups and investors. The summit’s reimagined format moved away from traditional panels toward hands-on experiences, including live demos, startup roasts, and reverse pitch competitions.
The hub has already demonstrated impact beyond consulting services. Partnerships with the Information Technology Institute launched Egypt’s first national ServiceNow training initiative, while Bridge Internship and Mentorship Programs have trained over 1,600 individuals. These community investments complement the firm’s commercial activities, positioning Cairo as a destination for top tech talent rather than simply a cost centre.
