Coworking-Camp: Collaboration across borders

Thirty-nine entrepreneurs, startups and “makers” from Europe, North Africa, and Lebanon gathered for one week of intensive networking, workshops, sun and fun in El Gouna, Egypt. The outcome exceeded everyones expectations, and led to building strong relationships and the seeds of long-term collaborations in the EuroMed region.

Romy Sigl, founder of the first coworking space in Salzburg, Austria, and “maker” of this event in Egypt, explains the concept: “This week was about business, networking, collaboration, inspiration and following great business dreams. We set up office infrastructure in a beach resort in El Gouna and organized a series of roundtable sessions, networking events, and social gatherings. Each participant set a clear goal in advance of what they want to achieve during the week and had the chance to use all the experience and knowledge from the other participants to reach it.“

The week's Highlights:

? 39 individuals connected the dots of the startup world: DreamupLab, Latinomics, VentureScout, RiseUpEgypt, AustrianStartups, Pioneers Festival, AltCity, Otelo, Coworking Salzburg, TEDx, and many more.

? Mr. Samih Sawiris, founder of El Gouna and CEO of Orascom Development Holding, visited the group and shared his story with the participants as well as encouraged them to be stubborn and follow their dreams.

? Coworking space founders from Egypt and abroad dicussed important topics like legal issues, how to make coworking a sustainable business, develop a coworking community platform, and how to push for legalisation of startups hosted at coworking spaces in Egypt.

? Developed the dream of the entire camp group: A permanent coworking space in El Gouna. Romy Sigl and camp partners are currently working on a concept and inspecting possible locations.

? Helped each other with business related issues by sharing advise, experience, knowledge and ideas – from finding bugs in a software to creating a marketing plan.

? Held a valuable session around the life-changing question: WHAT IS YOUR DREAM? With dream developer Harald Katzenschläger / Dream Academia.

Particpants were thrilled and some described the experience as "the greatest success that could ever be done".

Hossam El-Gamal from ZMS Alzwad stated: „I attended lots of camps and events, but I never saw this level of harmony and understanding.“

Muhammad Radwan from icecairo was equally content: „Coworking with multi-disciplined multinational entrepreneurs not only contributes to the part, but synergizes the whole, all in a relaxing environment that provides the necessary balance between work and play that is all too often forgotten in the whirlwind of passion and ambition.“

However, not only local entrepreneurs gained from the experience.

Reingard Meiche from Austria's Pink-Ideas Marketing explained: „This week was an explosion of ideas, opinions, expertise, personalities, experiences and cultures - personally and professionally a priceless experience that should be repeated many, many times.“