RiseUp

What RiseUp does

RiseUp LLC, headquartered in Cairo, Egypt, is a privately held cross-border startup enabler founded in 2013. The company operates the RiseUp Summit as its flagship annual event, complemented by a portfolio of on-ground and digital products including RiseUp Connect, Menabytes, The Manifesto, satellite events, and industry-focused launchpads. Its primary users are early-stage and growth-stage founders, scaleups, angel and institutional investors, corporate partners, and speakers across the MENA region with a stated presence spanning Africa, Asia, and Europe. The 2026 summit at the Grand Egyptian Museum expects 35,000–40,000 participants, 400+ speakers, 300+ startups, and 100+ investors drawn from 150+ nationalities.

The product portfolio centers on event execution, digital networking, and media publishing. Menabytes (acquired as MENAbytes in 2019) is a dedicated startup and tech news publication covering MENA and emerging markets, RiseUp Connect is positioned as a digital networking platform, and The Manifesto is an ecosystem-guidance publication. The underlying technology footprint is light: public-facing websites built on a Next.js stack, Typeform-based registration forms, Mailchimp newsletter infrastructure, and third-party event tooling partners including Knot (ticketing) and Tap (digital networking). No proprietary AI/ML systems, public APIs, SDKs, or in-house software products are disclosed, and there are no patents, trademarks, certifications, or compliance accreditations on record.

RiseUp generates revenue primarily through tiered sponsorship and partnership packages sold to corporates seeking visibility in the MENA startup ecosystem — 2026 categories include Main, Investment, Financing, Automotive, Digital Live, Enterprise Innovation, E-Commerce, Education, Talent Match-Making, Career Coaching, and PR, with named partners Madinet Masr, Mada Capital, Seven, IM Motors, TikTok, Deloitte, Bosta, Agora (Sawiris Foundation), Wuzzuf, iCareer, Neobloq, AMCHAM, and CC Plus. Secondary revenue streams include startup exhibition and registration fees and any advertising revenue tied to the Menabytes publication; specific pricing, ticketing fees, and contract values are not publicly disclosed. RiseUp is venture-backed (a 2018 round led by Endure Capital with 500 Global, Enara Capital, and Kamelizer participating) and has executed acquisitions of StarterHub (2019) and MENAbytes (2019) to consolidate ecosystem assets. Customer concentration is moderate, anchored by a handful of flagship-tier sponsors but spread across a cumulative base of 200+ partners over 13 years.

Name

RiseUp

Legal name

RiseUp LLC

Website

https://riseupsummit.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

RiseUp is a Cairo-based startup enabler, founded in 2013, that operates the annual RiseUp Summit and supporting platforms (RiseUp Connect, Menabytes, The Manifesto) to connect MENA founders with investors, talent, corporates, and media.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cairo

HQ country

Egypt

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Summit Sponsorship & Partnership Packages: RiseUp generates revenue by offering tiered partnership packages to brands seeking to connect with the regional startup ecosystem. Packages are tailored and include brand visibility, speaking slots, and positioning within the summit. Partners include Main Partner (Madinet Masr), Investment Partner (Mada Capital), Financing Partner (Seven), Automotive Partner (IM Motors), Digital Live Partner (TikTok), Enterprise Innovation Partner (Deloitte), E-Commerce Partner (Bosta), Education Partner (Agora), PR Partner (CC Plus), Talent Match-Making Partner (Wuzzuf), Career Coaching Partner (iCareer), and others.
2. Startup Exhibition & Registration Fees: Startups and scaleups can pay to exhibit at the summit, gaining visibility to industry leaders, investors, and potential partners. Interest registration is collected via Typeform, suggesting a fee-based or vetted ticketing model.
3. Media & Publication Revenue: RiseUp operates Menabytes, a dedicated startup and tech news platform chronicling entrepreneurship stories from MENA and emerging markets. The platform may generate advertising or content-based revenue.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

RiseUp is a global startup enabler that organizes the annual RiseUp Summit and supporting ecosystem products to connect startups with investors, talent, media, and corporate partners across Africa, Asia, and Europe. The company generates revenue through tiered corporate sponsorship packages, startup exhibition fees at the summit, and media/advertising revenue from its Menabytes publication. Its portfolio pairs physical events (flagship and satellite) with digital platforms (RiseUp Connect) and media (Menabytes, The Manifesto).

Product overview

RiseUp LLC operates as a cross-border startup enabler offering a portfolio of digital and on-ground products centered around its flagship RiseUp Summit event. The core offering is the RiseUp Summit, an annual entrepreneurship platform that connects startups with investors, speakers, and ecosystem resources. Supporting products include RiseUp Connect (a networking platform), Menabytes (a MENA-focused startup news publication), and The Manifesto (an ecosystem guidance publication). The company also extends its reach through Satellite Events and Industry-Focused Launchpads, which are non-summit format programs that provide ongoing ecosystem engagement opportunities throughout the year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Menabytes: A dedicated startup and tech news platform chronicling entrepreneurship stories from across the MENA region and emerging markets.
• RiseUp Connect
• The Manifesto

Products and services

• RiseUp Summit The flagship annual entrepreneurship summit that connects startups with investors, industry leaders, and ecosystem players through speaker sessions, startup exhibitions, and networking. RiseUp Summit 2026 expects 35,000–40,000 participants, 400+ international speakers, 300+ startups, and 100+ investors from 150+ nationalities.
• RiseUp Connect A digital networking platform connecting startups with essential resources, opportunities, and global networks to support growth and enable scaling. Serves as the ongoing digital ecosystem layer between RiseUp's physical events.
• Menabytes A dedicated startup and tech news publication chronicling entrepreneurship stories from across the MENA region and emerging markets. Acquired by RiseUp on 2019-08-19 and integrated as a sub-brand.
• The Manifesto A publication created to help startups navigate the ecosystem, understand how to launch, and find the tools they need to succeed. Distributed via RiseUp's office and at events.
• Satellite Events Regional ecosystem events outside the flagship summit, including training events, ecosystem dinners, cultural workshops, and meet-up formats that take place before and during the summit to bring the MENA startup ecosystem together year-round.
• Industry-Focused Launchpads Co-produced launchpad events for established and ambitious entities to share milestones, upcoming launches, and initiatives with their customers and the broader ecosystem. Examples include the e-commerce summit co-launched with Bosta in February 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ attendees, 2,000+ speakers, 1,000+ startups, 200+ partners over 13 years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• BostacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2026RiseUp Summit 2026 announced a strategic partnership with Bosta, Egypt's leading tech-enabled logistics company, to support startups in the MENA region by providing innovative logistics solutions and fostering knowledge exchange. The partnership was unveiled at the summit at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo (Feb 5–7, 2026). RiseUp and Bosta also announced they will co-launch a nationwide summit dedicated exclusively to e-commerce startups, reflecting the fast-evolving digital economy in Egypt.
• DiDi EgyptminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 February 2026DiDi Egypt announced a partnership with RiseUp Summit 2026, offering exclusive transport discount codes for summit participants. DiDi aims to support entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and sustainable mobility in Egypt and across the region through this initiative.
• Madinet MasrflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerMadinet Masr is the Main Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026. As a major real estate developer in Egypt, Madinet Masr supports the regional entrepreneurship platform as a flagship sponsor.
• IM MotorscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerIM Motors is the Automotive Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026, providing automotive sponsorship and visibility at the regional entrepreneurship platform.
• TikTokcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTikTok is the Digital Live Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026, providing digital streaming and live content coverage for the summit as a flagship digital media partner.
• DeloittecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDeloitte is the Enterprise Innovation Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026. As a global professional services firm, Deloitte brings enterprise innovation expertise and credibility to the ecosystem platform.
• AgoracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgora (Sawiris Foundation) is the Education Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026, supporting educational initiatives and knowledge exchange within the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
• WuzzufcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWuzzuf is the Talent Match-Making Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026, providing recruitment and talent matching services to connect startups with suitable talent at the summit.
• iCareerminorStrategic or Co-development PartneriCareer is the Career Coaching Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026, providing career coaching services to summit participants.
• NeobloqminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeobloq is the Sustainable Creative Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026, contributing sustainability-focused creative services to the event.
• AMCHAMminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMCHAM (American Chamber of Commerce) is the Career Expo Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026, co-presenting a career expo as part of the summit.
• CC PlusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCC Plus is the PR Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026, providing public relations and communications support.
• Nude BakeryminorOthersNude Bakery is the Exclusive Coffee Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026, providing F&B services at the event.
• CTE TravelminorOthersCTE Travel is the Travel Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026, providing travel arrangements for summit participants.
• Crepe 2000minorOthersCrepe 2000 is an F&B Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026.
• Dawg & CominorOthersDawg & Co is an F&B Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026.
• LakantominorOthersLakanto is an F&B Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026.
• Slice & ShakeminorOthersSlice & Shake is an F&B Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026.
• SuenitominorOthersSuenito is an F&B Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026.
• Roufly'sminorOthersRoufly's is an F&B Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026.
• Chickin WorxminorOthersChickin Worx is an F&B Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026.
• MaineminorOthersMaine is an F&B Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026.
• BowlaminorOthersBowla is an F&B Partner of RiseUp Summit 2026.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• GITEX Global: Dubai-based flagship MENA tech event backed by Dubai World Trade Centre. Direct regional competitor for corporate sponsorship dollars and startup/investor attention across the Middle East.
• Web Summit: Global technology conference connecting startups, investors, and corporates via flagship summits (Lisbon, Rio, Qatar). Directly comparable in format and audience to RiseUp, but operates at significantly larger scale across multiple geographies.
• STEP Conference: Dubai-based startup and digital conference focused on the Middle East ecosystem. Closely comparable in audience (founders, investors, corporates) and event-driven sponsorship model.
• LEAP: Saudi Arabia-backed flagship tech conference in Riyadh. Competes for the same MENA-region corporate sponsors and startup ecosystems, but with substantially larger government backing.
• Arabnet: Long-running MENA digital business events and research platform. Directly comparable as a MENA-focused event series serving startups, investors, and digital ecosystem players.
• Slush: Helsinki-based annual startup event with strong founder/VC focus and international footprint. Comparable event-driven sponsorship model and startup ecosystem positioning.

Broad incumbents

• TechCrunch Disrupt: Global flagship startup conference operated by TechCrunch/AOL. Comparable in audience (founders, VCs, tech press) and format, but operates at much larger scale with a US/global editorial backbone.
• Wamda: MENA-focused startup media, community, and programs platform. Directly comparable in MENA ecosystem focus and community/media engagement model, though Wamda's primary strength is in content rather than flagship summits.

Regional players

• AfricaCom: Africa-focused tech and connectivity conference. Comparable in connecting African startups with investors and corporates, but does not compete directly in the MENA market.

Others

• MAGNiTT: MENA startup data and deal-flow platform serving investors and founders. Adjacent ecosystem-enabler rather than direct event competitor, but overlapping audience and ecosystem-development mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/riseup-summit
• Xx.com/riseupsummit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RiseUp