MINT by EGBANK Partners with VMS to Propel Egyptian Startups into Saudi Arabia

Abdelrahman Amr

Last updated 13-09-2026

4 min

MINT and VMS have teamed up to help Egyptian startups enter Saudi Arabia.

VMS will offer 'hands-on backing', from regulatory guidance to local business networks.

The top three startups get MISA investor registration support to set up in Saudi Arabia.

The wider cohort receives over $200,000 in cloud credits and SaaS perks.

Training, mentoring and media support aim to create a clearer regional expansion route.

MINT by EGBANK, the startup incubator التابعة to the Egyptian Gulf Bank, has entered a strategic partnership with Value Makers Studio, better known as VMS, in a move aimed at helping Egyptian startups break into the Saudi market and grow there.

It is the kind of cross-border step many founders in the region have been waiting for. At Arageek, we often see early-stage teams full of ambition but a bit stuck when it comes to regional expansion, because entering a new market can be a real headache if the local know-how is missing. This partnership looks designed to ease exactly that.

Under the agreement, VMS will serve as MINT’s regional partner in Saudi Arabia. Its role will include practical market-entry support, regulatory guidance, access to Saudi business networks, and a dedicated pathway to help participating startups expand within the Kingdom. In simple words, it is not just advice on paper, but hands-on backing to help founders get moving.

Nelly Mahmoud, Head of Marketing, Youth Services and Financial Inclusion at EGBANK, said MINT sees support for entrepreneurs as going beyond funding to include knowledge, expertise and opportunities that can help them grow and scale. She added that the incubator is keen to strengthen its services through strategic partnerships with specialist organisations in entrepreneurship and investment. Mahmoud described VMS as an ideal partner because of its regional experience and deep understanding of markets and startup ecosystems, saying the collaboration is expected to open more opportunities and services for young entrepreneurs while improving their access to regional markets.

One of the more specific parts of the deal, and honestly I reckon this is where it gets quite interesting, is support around investor registration with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment, or MISA. VMS will facilitate the investor registration process for the top three startups selected from the cohort, helping them set up and operate their entities in the Kingdom. For founders trying to expand, that sort of admin can be a bit of a faff, so having structured support here could make a real difference.

The wider cohort will also receive software and technology perks worth more than $200,000 in total. These benefits, offered through VMS’s partner network, will include cloud service credits and SaaS tools. That may sound technical, well… I mean, for many startups it simply means lower operating costs at a stage when every dollar matters.

Moataz Abu Anq, CEO of Value Makers Studio, said Egyptian entrepreneurs have strong ambitions to expand into Saudi Arabia, but entering a new market requires the right local knowledge, relationship-building and the necessary infrastructure. He said the purpose of the partnership is to turn that ambition into a practical and clear market-entry route, adding that VMS and MINT will work together to give founders the tools and capabilities they need to take meaningful steps towards building and growing their businesses in the Kingdom.

VMS is also set to design and deliver the Saudi expansion component within MINT’s training curriculum. That will cover market-entry readiness, company formation routes, related regulatory requirements and relevant government platforms. On top of that, the programme will tap into VMS’s network in Saudi Arabia to offer mentoring opportunities, expert speakers, and regional media and marketing support for selected startups.

That said, the partnership is not only about opening doors into Saudi Arabia. It also creates direct links between VMS and participating founders through mentorship, relationship-building and exploration of possible collaboration and investment opportunities. On the flip side, VMS portfolio companies and its wider startup network will be able to benefit from the software perks offered through MINT.

Taken together, the deal brings MINT’s youth-focused, early-stage support together with VMS’s operating presence and business network in Saudi Arabia. The result is a platform meant to help promising Egyptian startups build knowledge, make connections and prepare for regional expansion. In a MENA ecosystem where scaling across borders is often easier said than done, that is no small thing. If execution is spot on, this could give some Egyptian startups a much clearer runway into one of the region’s fastest-growing markets.

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