Egypt launches SMEs Business Bot to support sector amid pandemic

Egypt launches SMEs Business Bot to support sector amid pandemic

Egypt's Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, in collaboration with Facebook and Rise Up, announced on Thursday the launch of the 'SMEs Business Bot', a platform that aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

The platform is the first of its kind in the MENA region.

Facebook said it is keen on working with the planning ministry and Rise Up to identify the needs of the SMEs community in Egypt and adapt the platform accordingly.

Rise Up will manage the initiative with its considerable expertise and knowledge of the system and requirements of SMEs. Rise Up said it is committed to providing the bot with the educational content of start-ups and ambitious entrepreneurs, guided by its seven main pillars.

Meanwhile, the planning ministry is expected to play a vital role through feeding the platform with various available initiatives, such as financing and education for SMEs in Egypt.

The aim of the project is to provide information and resources that support start-ups on different fronts, such as providing financial support or business support schemes to cope with the COVID-19 crisis as well as providing them with the directions for capacity-building.

Hala El-Said, the