Scale it Forward: Scaleup Readiness & Venture Debt Access in Egypt

Scale it Forward: Enabling Non-Dilutive Growth Capital for Egyptian Scaleups

Scale it Forward is a catalytic initiative that bridges the financing gap between financial institutions and high-growth, innovative scaleups by introducing Venture Debt as a practical, non-dilutive financing solution within Egypt’s investment ecosystem.

The programme is designed to partner with five financial institutions (FIs) that seek to innovate their lending portfolios. It actively de-risks Venture Debt investments by equipping 30 scaleups with capacity-strengthening training and 5,000 Euros in non-repayable support, ensuring a pipeline of financially structured, investment-ready opportunities.

Expanding Access to Venture Debt for Egyptian Scaleups

Through Scale it Forward, growth-stage innovative scaleups can strengthen their financial foundations, extend their runways, and unlock new sources of capital to scale sustainably.

As a high-growth scaleup operating in Egypt’s innovation ecosystem, you are navigating the “missing middle” financing gap, where traditional bank lending may be restrictive, and equity financing may dilute ownership.

By combining targeted capacity strengthening with direct access to Financial Institutions deploying Venture Debt, the programme enables you to secure non-dilutive growth financing while enhancing your long-term investment readiness.

Download this document for more details about the eligibility criteria for scaleups. (0.16 MB PDF)

Take your first step with Scale It Forward to access catalytic support and Venture Debt financing!

Apply now!

How does Scale It Forward support scaleups in Egypt?

Access to non-dilutive growth capital

Participating businesses gain access to Venture Debt financing through five participating Financial Institutions, enabling growth without equity dilution or rigid collateral requirements.

5,000 Euros as catalytic financial support

The programme provides each selected scaleup with 5,000 Euros in non-repayable support, matched by the partner Financial Institution, to close operational and financial readiness gaps, therefore strengthening debt capacity and cash-flow predictability.

Investment readiness & financial governance strengthening

Participating businesses receive tailored capacity-building support focused on investment readiness, positioning them for Venture Debt and future institutional capital.

Direct connection with Financial Institutions

Scale it Forward enables your business to build structured relationships with Venture Capital firms, Private Equity funds, and Microfinance Institutions actively deploying Venture Debt in Egypt.

Increased visibility & ecosystem positioning

Receive recognition for your growth journey alongside your partner Financial Institution, and position your company as a credible, investment-ready scaleup within Egypt’s innovation ecosystem.

Programme Timeline

16 March 2026

Applications open

9 April 2026

Applications close. Selection starts.

April 2026

5 Financial Institutions selected and onboarded

April - May 2026

30 Scale-ups selected and onboarded

June - September 2026

Financial & readiness support for scaleups

July - October 2026

Capital mobilisation & catalytic support (Venture Debt) by FIs

November 2026

Closing event

How does it work?

Take a look through the steps to find out how to be part of the Scale it Forward initiative.

Become part of Scale It Forward

Apply to Scale it Forward and take the first step toward accessing non-dilutive growth capital and becoming part of a structured programme designed to prepare you for Venture Debt financing.
Review the focus areas and eligibility criteria

Check the eligible sectors in the call for applications carefully, and review the eligibility criteria and requirements.
Prepare the needed information

We advise you to go through the application form once before applying. You will need to prepare a scan of your national ID, your CV/Resume, your company’s registration ID, and a brief of your scaleup as you apply.
Fill out the application form

Complete the application form; please note that this is the only way for us to be able to consider your application, as we don’t accept submissions by email or other formats. If you need support with filling in the form, please feel free to reach out to shc@enpact.org
Check your email

You will receive an email with the status of your application within two weeks. The email will notify you if you are shortlisted, so that you can prepare for a quick interview, or share feedback in case we are unable to accommodate you in the programme. Please make sure to also regularly check spam.

Who can join Scale It Forward as a Scaleup?

We’re on the lookout for innovative scaleups that are:

Legally registered and operating in Egypt;
Operating in high-demand sectors such as Fin-tech, Agri-tech, Health-tech, E-commerce, Climate Tech, and Digital Services;
Post-revenue with predictable or recurring income streams;
Showing clear repayment capacity, supported by solid cash-flow visibility and a defined growth plan;
Willing to engage in structured financial readiness support and due diligence with participating Financial Institutions.

You can always email us at shc@enpact.org to receive support with your application within 24 hours of your request. Please note that this is the only official support channel for the Scale it Forward program and the only way to guarantee a timely response.

Download this document for more details about the eligibility criteria for scaleups. (0.16 MB PDF)

Take your first step with Scale It Forward to access catalytic support and Venture Debt financing!

Apply now!

Programme partners

Scale It Forward is co-developed by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in Egypt and enpact, under the patronage of Invest for Jobs – the Special Initiative “Decent Work for a Just Transition” on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).