Gemini Africa
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| Founded | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Orascom Group |
| Type | Entrepreneurship support organization |
| Focus | Entrepreneurship Creative industries Social innovation |
Region served | Africa |
Parent organization | Orascom Group |
Gemini Africa (also known as Gemini Enterprises Africa) is an Egyptian entrepreneurship support organization founded in 2018 as part of the Orascom Group.[1] The company operates programs across Egypt and Africa focused on entrepreneurship, creative industries, and social innovation.
History
Gemini Africa was established by Naguib Sawiris through Orascom Investment Holding to support startups and entrepreneurs in Egypt and across Africa. The organization positions itself as connecting the Orascom Group's resources with the entrepreneurial ecosystem.[2] In December 2019, the company signed a three-year partnership with RiseUp LLC to establish the Pyramids Plateau as the official venue for the annual RiseUp Summit, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, and international institutions. The agreement was announced during the first "Pitch by the Pyramids" competition at the historic site.[1] During the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020, Gemini Africa launched the "Gemini Uplift Initiative" to help startups address operational challenges caused by the economic slowdown. The initiative brought together over 45 regional and international partners including the United Nations Development Programme, World Food Programme, the American University in Cairo, and multiple venture capital firms. The program offered support through three tracks: funding access, business matchmaking, and mentorship.[3]
Programs
CinemaTech
In 2020, Gemini Africa launched CinemaTech, a program connecting technology startups with the film industry. According to the company, they hold intellectual property rights for being the first organization worldwide to establish a dedicated track linking entrepreneurship with filmmaking through technology.[4] The program hosts annual pitching competitions at film festivals where startups present technologies related to film production, post-production, distribution, immersive experiences, and cinema innovation. CinemaTech made its debut at the El Gouna Film Festival in 2020[5] and has since expanded to other Egyptian film festivals including the Luxor African Film Festival and Aswan International Women Film Festival.[2] In 2021, Gemini Africa signed a memorandum of understanding with TU Berlin Campus El Gouna and El Gouna Film Festival to host year-round workshops and classes bringing together technology and film students.[6] The company has also established connections with international film markets, including participation at the Cannes Film Festival's Marché du Film.[2] The program operates in partnership with the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, which supports a CinemaTech incubator for startups working in film technology.[7]
Partnerships
In May 2023, Gemini Africa signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Egypt to collaborate on strengthening Egypt's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. The partnership focuses on creative industries including cinema and technology, arts and culture, digital transformation, financial technology, and support for small and medium enterprises. The collaboration also targets support for youth, women, people with disabilities, and entrepreneurs in Upper Egypt governorates including Qena and Luxor.[8] Gemini Africa has also partnered with the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development on the Upper Egypt Incubator program, which supports social enterprises in southern Egyptian governorates.[8] Additional partnerships include collaborations with the British Council on the Creative Maker Programme, which trains artists and creatives to enter the creative economy using technology.[9]
Leadership
Adly Thoma serves as the Chairman and CEO of Gemini Africa.[8] He founded the CinemaTech program and sits on the Board of Trustees for the Aswan International Women Film Festival.[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Gemini Enterprises Africa, and RiseUp sign 3-year partnership for Pyramids Plateau". Daily News Egypt. 10 December 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Adly Thoma Presents Gemini Africa: An Investment Company and Entrepreneurial Hub for Egypt and Africa". MarcoPolis (Interview). 29 April 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
- ↑ "Sawiris-Backed Gemini Enterprises Africa Launches Start-Up Initiative Across MENA". Africa.com. 16 May 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
- ↑ "Gemini Africa: A One-Stop Entrepreneurial Hub Providing Support to African Youth and Entrepreneurs". MarcoPolis. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
- ↑ "Inside Gemini Africa's Radical CinemaTech Track". The Startup Scene. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
- ↑ "Gemini Africa, GFF signs MoU to host workshops, classes to empower tech-centred students, film students". Egypt Today. 21 October 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
- ↑ "CinemaTech Incubator". CinemaTech Official. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "UNDP Egypt and Gemini Africa Partner to Foster Inclusive Growth, Digital Transformation, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship". United Nations Development Programme. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
- ↑ "Programs - CinemaTech Official". CinemaTech Official. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
External links
This article "Gemini Africa" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.