"icealex is committed to the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact on human rights, labour standards, environmental responsibility, and anti-corruption. We embed these principles into our programs, partnerships, and operations — and we hold ourselves accountable to the communities we serve across Egypt, Africa, and the Mediterranean."
— Ahmed Bastawy, Founder & Director, icealex
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Every icealex program targets one or more UN Sustainable Development Goals. Here is how our portfolio maps to the SDGs we directly advance.
Ladies Startups League and Heya Raeda have graduated 440+ women entrepreneurs. Over 60% of startups across our portfolio are female-led.
2,350+ jobs created through icealex-supported startups. Our programs target sustainable employment in underserved regions of Egypt and Africa.
Our core mission since 2011 — Startups of Africa and iceTech have built innovation infrastructure across Egypt and the African continent.
The Egypt Cities Hackathon targets Upper Egypt and underrepresented governorates. We design programs where the ecosystem gap is greatest.
The Smart Cities Startups Hub and Egypt Cities Hackathon address urban challenges through founder-led innovation in mobility and public services.
Craft Makers and SwitchMed Down the Nile champion circular economy principles, supporting artisans and manufacturers who embed sustainability from day one.
The Sustainability Innovation Award funds startups tackling climate-related challenges in renewable energy, water, agriculture, and waste.
14+ institutional partners across governments, international organisations, and private sector. Active member of AfriLabs (52 countries) and GIST Network.
UN GLOBAL COMPACT
icealex signed a commitment to the UN Global Compact in 2023 and operates in alignment with its Ten Principles across four domains.
icealex supports and respects human rights in all our programs. We do not discriminate on any basis — gender, origin, disability, or background.
We uphold freedom of association, oppose forced labour, support abolition of child labour, and eliminate discrimination in all program selection and team hiring.
We apply a precautionary approach to environmental challenges. Our Sustainability Innovation Award and SwitchMed programs promote environmental responsibility and clean technologies.
icealex works against corruption in all its forms. We maintain transparent operations, publish our program outcomes, and hold our partners to the same standards.
IMPACT INVESTING
icealex operates on the conviction that entrepreneur-led innovation is the most efficient and equitable path to sustainable economic development in Egypt and across Africa.
We invest our programs where the ecosystem gap is greatest — in regions underserved by traditional capital, with founders underrepresented in mainstream accelerator pipelines.
Our impact thesis: when you give a resourceful founder the right tools, network, and early-stage support, the jobs, products, and community wealth created are measurable, lasting, and locally owned.
TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY
Accountability is not a compliance exercise at icealex — it is what makes us trustworthy partners to founders, funders, and the communities we work in.
We publish program-level outcomes every year — cohort sizes, job creation, funding raised, and founder demographic breakdowns.
We are committed to filing our Communication on Progress with the UN Global Compact, documenting how we advance the Ten Principles.
All institutional partnerships are governed by clear program agreements that include outcome reporting and ethical conduct requirements.
Founders, alumni, and community members can always reach us at projects@icealex.com with feedback or proposals.
RECOGNISED BY LEADING GLOBAL FRAMEWORKS
If you are a founder, funder, or institution that shares our commitment to impact-first entrepreneurship — let's talk.
Explore our programs →