As a start-up accelerator, AUC Venture Lab supports and promotes entrepreneurship and innovation by providing entrepreneurs with learning opportunities, mentoring, networking, and access to potential investors.

AUC Venture Lab (V-Lab) is Egypt's first university accelerator. Founded in 2013 by Ayman Ismail, Associate Professor at the American University in Cairo (AUC) School of Business, its aim is to assist entrepreneurs in launching, growing, and transforming their startups.  It also aims to provide the AUC community with a learning and research platform, thus fostering its involvement with entrepreneurs.

To achieve its objectives, V-Lab has developed several programs, including Startup Accelerator, Fintech Accelerator, AUC Angels, and Startup Launchpad.

Startup Accelerator is a four-month program launched to help entrepreneurs design and develop the next generation of innovative technology start-ups. As the accelerator’s flagship program, it is supporting entrepreneurs since 2013. 

Fintech Accelerator is a customized four-month program dedicated to financial technology start-ups. It provides founders with intensive business and technology support, mentoring, and networking opportunities to help them refine their solutions and prepare for investment. Target sectors include payments, insurtech, wealth management, loans and savings, infrastructure, and more.

Startup Launchpad is a nine-week immersive program for entrepreneurs and future founders at the idea stage. AUC Angels is the first university network of angel investors in the Middle East and North Africa. Created with the aim of bridging the financing gap for young technology companies, the network connects approved start-ups with accomplished professionals from a variety of sectors and backgrounds.

To date, V-Lab has helped over 1,000 founders transform their business solutions into viable, investment-ready technology start-ups. It has created over 12,000 jobs, supported more than 341 start-ups in various technology sectors, and raised more than $161 million.  

The accelerator has received several national and international awards for its impact and the quality of its services in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. In 2021, it was named the best accelerator/incubator in North Africa by the Global Startup Awards. It was named the best challenger in the Middle East and North Africa by UBI Global World Rankings 2021-2022 of business incubators and accelerators.

Melchior Koba