ICSB World Congress 2025: “Innovation Unleashed” in Cairo
The International Council for Small Business (ICSB) has chosen Cairo, Egypt as the host city for its World Congress 2025, a milestone event marking the organisation’s 70th anniversary.
According to ICSB, the congress will run 24–28 November 2025, with the main research programme held 25–27 November at the American University in Cairo (AUC) New Cairo campus, specifically the AUC Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
The theme is “Innovation Unleashed” – a focus on how micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) drive resilience, inclusive growth and human-centred entrepreneurship around the world.
ICSB and GEN Egypt expect 500+ participants from over 70 countries, including researchers, founders, policymakers and ecosystem builders.
Why Cairo – and why now?
ICSB describes Cairo as a “thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem” and a strategic bridge linking Africa, Asia and Europe.
Over the last decade, Egypt has built:
A visible start-up scene around hubs like The Greek Campus in Downtown Cairo.
A growing network of incubators and accelerators, including AUC’s own startup incubator.
A policy focus on MSMEs as engines of jobs and innovation, highlighted regularly in national development plans.
Hosting the ICSB World Congress 2025 channels that momentum into a single week where global expertise and local ambition meet on the same campus.
What to expect from ICSB World Congress 2025 in Cairo
ICSB outlines a multi-track, five-day programme built around both research and real-world practice:
1. World Congress research programme
Held at AUC from 25–27 November, the research track will bring together academics and policy experts to discuss topics such as:
MSME entrepreneurship and human-centred approaches
MSME resilience and innovation
Digital transformation and its impact on small business
Inclusive finance and ecosystem-building policies
Accepted papers can be considered for publication in the Journal of the International Council for Small Business (JICSB), giving Egyptian research and case studies global reach.
2. Parallel forums and tracks
Beyond the academic sessions, ICSB lists several parallel tracks:
ICSB Academy – geared towards students and early-stage entrepreneurs.
Women CEOs Forum – focusing on women-led MSMEs.
SME World Forum – policy and ecosystem discussions.
Marketplace – a space for solutions, support organisations and business services.
For an Egyptian founder, this means you can move in one day from a policy panel, to a hands-on workshop, to a networking session with investors and support organisations.
3. Field visits: innovation in real Cairo spaces
One of the more distinctive elements of ICSB 2025 is a set of curated visits to Cairo innovation landmarks, including:
SEKEM Guest House & eco-community – showcasing sustainable agriculture and social enterprise.
Hazel Farm – positioned as a model of organic farming and community-driven development.
The Greek Campus – downtown tech and startup hub.
Creativa Innovation Hub – Sultan Hussein Palace – a restored heritage palace turned digital-skills and entrepreneurship centre.
For international delegates, these visits explain Egypt’s ecosystem far better than a slide deck. For local founders, they’re a chance to host the world in their own spaces.
What it means for Egyptian entrepreneurs
Even without inventing quotes, we can map out clear, factual benefits for local founders and SMEs.
Visibility for Egyptian startups
ICSB and its partners emphasise that the congress aims to bring entrepreneurs, researchers and policymakers into the same rooms, not just academics.
With 500+ attendees from 70+ countries expected, any Egyptian startup participating – whether through the Marketplace, pitching sessions or side events – gains access to:
Potential investors and partners beyond the regional circuit.
International mentors and advisers who specialise in MSME policy, incubation and financing.
Comparative perspectives from other emerging markets facing similar challenges.
Policy conversations grounded in reality
The congress theme “Innovation Unleashed” focuses on MSMEs as drivers of resilience and inclusive growth.
Sessions listed by ICSB include panels on:
Humane and human-centred entrepreneurship
Artificial intelligence and future of work
Inclusive finance and sustainable innovation
For Egyptian founders dealing daily with FX volatility, bureaucracy or funding gaps, having those topics debated in Cairo – with policymakers in the audience – increases the chances that real constraints get discussed alongside global theories.
AUC as a long-term anchor
ICSB highlights the Onsi Sawiris School of Business at AUC as a “Triple Crown” accredited business school (AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS) with five research centres and a startup incubator.
By hosting the World Congress research programme, AUC effectively positions itself as:
A hub for MSME and entrepreneurship research relevant to Egypt.
A bridge between local founders, global scholars and policymakers.
For Egyptian entrepreneurs, that means the conversations started in November 2025 are likely to continue through AUC-led programmes, partnerships and future projects.
How to turn ICSB World Congress 2025 into your own “startup moment”
Based on ICSB’s published agenda and calls for participation, here are concrete, fact-based ways Egyptian founders can plug in:
Attend the congress or Marketplace:Tickets are available via GEN Egypt and TicketsMarche for the World Congress and gala dinner at AUC.
Apply to present a workshop or case study: ICSB’s call for papers and sessions is open to practitioners, not only academics, as long as submissions fit the MSME and innovation themes.
Use the field visits strategically: If your startup is connected to sustainability, agriculture, tech or creative industries, the official visits to places like Hazel Farm, SEKEM or The Greek Campus are ideal networking moments.
Follow ICSB’s Women CEOs Forum or Academy tracks: These offer targeted spaces for young founders and women entrepreneurs to build international networks.
Hosting the ICSB World Congress 2025 in Cairo is not just another conference announcement; it’s a signal that Egypt’s entrepreneurial story is on the global agenda.
For local founders and SME owners, the opportunity is simple and very real: turn that one week in November into long-term relationships, research collaborations and deals that carry Egypt’s startup momentum well beyond 2025.
