Investment: ITIDA opens CFP Round 41 with up to USD 98K for ICT product development
Egypt’s Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) has opened the 41st round of its Information Technology Academia Collaboration (ITAC) Collaborative Funded Projects (CFPs), offering companies funding of up to USD 98,000 (EGP 5M) to turn technology concepts and prototypes into market-ready products. Applications for Product Development Projects (PDPs) are open through October 29, 2026.
The program supports two types of Collaborative Funded Projects: Preliminary Research Projects (PRPs) and Product Development Projects (PDPs). PRPs are intended to take ideas through research to a proof-of-concept and offer funding of up to USD 13,700 (EGP 700K) for projects expected to result in startups and USD 6,900 (EGP 350K) for other projects, but PRP applications are currently unavailable. The active CFP Round 41 is accepting PDP proposals for projects that already have a proof-of-concept or prototype and need further development before reaching the market.
PDPs can receive up to USD 98,000 (EGP 5M) with projects expected to be completed within 18 months. The program defines a proof-of-concept as evidence that the proposed technology or methodology works—this can include published research, a patent, or promising preliminary results—while a prototype is a functioning product that may still need additional research, feature completion, or customization. The final product should meet commercial specifications and be market-ready by the end of the PDP period.
Eligible proposals must fall within ITAC’s technology or strategic areas, including AI and machine learning, big data analytics, virtual and augmented reality, cloud and quantum computing, blockchain, cybersecurity, wireless technologies, robotics and hyper automation, IoT, electronics and embedded systems. Strategic application areas include ICT for health, agriculture, education, energy, transportation, disability services, and digital transformation. Companies applying must be registered in ITIDA’s Companies Database, and proposals must be led by a principal investigator with a strong research background capable of executing the research plan.
Beyond individual projects, the program is designed to connect ICT companies with researchers and academic institutions to strengthen research capabilities inside companies and create a path from research to commercialization, expanding the pipeline of Egyptian ICT products into commercial applications across several strategic sectors.
The immediate milestone is the October 29 deadline for PDP applications; the next signal will be which technologies and industry-academia collaborations emerge from the round, particularly across AI, cybersecurity, IoT, robotics, and digital transformation. ITAC also holds WriteIT seminars and webinars ahead of new CFP rounds to address applicant questions and explain requirements.
