Progressio's Plan to Power Egypt's Economy Through Invention

CairoScene

07-06-2025

Spearheaded by Progressio, 1 Million Minds is reimagining innovation in Egypt by fostering inventors and creating the infrastructure to turn local ideas into global industries.
Progressio's movement isn't chasing hype. It's building a new economic engine - by spotlighting inventors, commercializing IP, and fixing the innovation supply chain from the inside out.
Egypt's next wave of growth won't come from logistics apps or fintech plays—at least not if Progressio has anything to say about it. The Cairo-based technology R&D firm is leading a bold new initiative called 1 Million Minds, a movement designed not to fund the next startup, but to foster the next inventor.
It's not just a branding distinction. It's a philosophy.
'Entrepreneurs are already being supported in Egypt. What we've never properly invested in are the inventors,' says Yoeil Ashraf, founder and CEO of Progressio. 'Those who build new things. Those who innovate at the core product level. 1 Million Minds is here to change that.'
A Movement, Not a Center
At its heart, 1 Million Minds isn't a campaign, an incubator, or even a government program. It's a national movement—founded and spearheaded by Progressio—meant to embed invention, R&D, and intellectual property into the cultural and economic DNA of Egypt.
Rather than chase venture funding or quick exits, OMM is focused on long-term impact. It's building public platforms, storytelling pipelines, educational programs, and incentive models that bring inventors out of the shadows and into the center of national development.
Its founding belief is simple: if inventors are supported—technically, financially, and emotionally—they will build the products that solve Egypt's biggest problems, and ultimately fuel unprecedented economic growth.
Why Inventors, Why Now?
Egypt has no shortage of bright minds. But without visibility, protection, or infrastructure, most innovations never make it past the prototype stage. 'We're not short on talent,' Yoeil says. 'We're short on systems that recognize and reward invention.'
Progressio sees a gap in how innovation is defined and supported. Entrepreneurs are coached to pitch and scale, but inventors—those working in materials science, med-tech, food engineering, and software IP—often lack access to legal frameworks, commercialization support, or even cultural recognition.
OMM's goal is to flip that script.
The KPIs of a Movement
This isn't about inspiration alone. 1 Million Minds is built on measurable inflection points. Progressio has identified three historic benchmarks it's working toward:
1. The first Egyptian millionaire inventor, through royalties generated from licensed IP
2. The first startup to secure investment or acquisition based on intellectual property alone
3. The first corporate R&D investment into a locally developed invention
These aren't hypotheticals. Progressio is building the support systems—legal, educational, media, and financial—to make them real.
Beyond Inspiration: Building Infrastructure
OMM's strategy operates across multiple verticals:
* Education and awareness, demystifying IP law, R&D, and commercialization
* Cultural storytelling, positioning inventors as national heroes through awards, documentaries, and public events
* Community building, with mentorship programs and regional bootcamps
* Visibility and recognition, turning invention into something aspirational, not obscure
'We believe that if we create an environment where inventors are incentivized, rewarded, and integrated into our innovation supply chain, we won't just fix our economic problems—we'll redefine what growth looks like for Egypt,' Yoeil says.
A Parallel Track: The NCTC
While 1 Million Minds takes the cultural and community lead, another Progressio-led initiative will provide the technical backbone. Launching in mid-2025, the National Center for Technology Commercialization (NCTC) is a separate but complementary project.
Designed as a national platform for tech transfer and commercialization, the NCTC will focus on IP protection, licensing support, startup assistance, and industry collaboration—particularly in sectors like agriculture, energy, healthcare, and IT.
The NCTC is where invention will be translated into viable business. 1 Million Minds is where invention becomes a national cause.
Fixing the Chain, Fueling the Future
Skeptics may ask whether a country can really build an innovation economy on invention alone. Progressio's bet is that it can—if invention is supported systemically, not sporadically.
And in a region where innovation is often imported or licensed in, OMM offers a different thesis: that Egypt has the raw intellectual firepower to lead, not just follow, and that if that power is unlocked at scale, the results won't just be social—they'll be seismic.
'This isn't a campaign,' Yoeil says. 'It's a new foundation for how we grow.'