Grace Ashiru
Three organisations have signed a formal agreement to build what they describe as Egypt’s first artificial intelligence campus, pairing physical innovation infrastructure with a structured programme to grow the next wave of AI-native companies.
Orange Egypt has signed a memorandum of understanding with smart urban developer Paragon Adeer and global innovation platform Plug and Play to launch the AI Campus at the Sumou Boulevard development in New Cairo. The campus will span 500 acres and is designed to serve as a regional innovation hub connecting startups, investors, and technology partners across the Middle East and Africa. It is built on three core pillars: AI and innovation, education, and energy efficiency.
The agreement was signed at the Grand Egyptian Museum in the presence of Ministry of Communications and Information Technology officials, alongside senior executives from Sumou Holding Group and Athar Holding Group and Egypt’s Minister of Supply.
Under the partnership, Orange Egypt will lead development of the campus’s smart digital infrastructure, deploying 5G connectivity, Internet of Things solutions, and intelligent communication systems to create a fully connected operating environment. Paragon Adeer contributes smart urban development expertise, while Plug and Play brings its global startup network to connect Egyptian AI companies to international markets and investor communities. Schneider Electric will contribute sustainable energy infrastructure expertise to the project.
At the centre of the campus is the AI 100 Programme, a four-year initiative designed to identify, develop, and cultivate a pipeline of 100 growth-stage, AI-native startups in Egypt by 2030. The programme will deliver immersive bootcamps, industry and venture workshops, applied AI training, and capital readiness tracks. The goal is for these startups to eventually become anchor tenants of the AI Campus itself, embedding them into the infrastructure rather than simply passing through an accelerator.Â
The AI Campus sits within the $1.4 billion Sumou Boulevard mixed-use development in Mostakbal City, New Cairo, spanning more than 500,000 square metres and combining residential, commercial, and hospitality components anchored by a two-kilometre walkable boulevard. Paragon Adeer is a joint venture between Egypt’s Paragon Developments and Saudi Arabia’s Adeer International, backed by Sumou Investment. Paragon Adeer is targeting revenues of 100 billion Egyptian pounds from the broader development.
Plug and Play Egypt Regional Director Kareema El Hakim said the AI Campus and AI 100 initiative will serve as a catalyst for Egypt’s emergence as a premier regional hub for AI and technology innovation, connecting Egyptian companies and talent to global markets and transforming local ambition into internationally competitive businesses.
