Yara Lotfy TikTok and Entreprenelle joined forces to launch the second edition of “TikTok for Entrepreneurs” in Egypt, this time putting women founders at the heart of the experience. Held under the patronage of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA),the “Female Founders Edition” took place on August 30 bringing together women entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized businesses and startups for a day of practical learning, knowledge-sharing and conversations around building and growing businesses in today’s digital economy.
The event welcomed approximately 200 participants, with women entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses at the heart of the audience, alongside a delegation from the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), Wael Ezzat, Head of Public Policy for North Africa at TikTok, startups, e-commerce businesses, industry experts, and members of Egypt’s wider entrepreneurship ecosystem.
As the way people discover brands continues to change, TikTok is becoming an increasingly important part of that journey. For businesses, being discovered is no longer only about traditional advertising or search. It is about creating content that captures attention, telling stories that people connect with and building communities that want to engage with a brand.
Building on the first edition of TikTok for Entrepreneurs, this year’s program went a step further, focused specifically on female-led businesses, providing practical insights into how they can make the most of TikTok’s discovery-driven environment. From understanding audiences and creating content to building a distinctive brand voice and turning engagement into growth, the experience was designed to connect creativity with real business objectives.
The partnership brought together Entreprenelle’s expertise in supporting women entrepreneurs and fostering entrepreneurial communities with TikTok’s expertise in content, discovery and digital engagement. Together, TikTok and Entreprenelle equipped female founders with practical knowledge and perspectives they could apply to their businesses.
Over the years, Entreprenelle has evolved alongside the changing needs of entrepreneurs, recognizing that business success today increasingly depends on digital visibility, meaningful content, and engaged communities. For the past five years, Entreprenelle has focused on helping women and girls navigate the digital economy by providing the knowledge, tools, and opportunities to turn ideas into businesses and strengthen their digital presence. Through its partnership with TikTok, Entreprenelle builds on over eleven years of commitment to the entrepreneurship ecosystem, helping female entrepreneurs leverage digital platforms to reach new audiences, share their stories, build communities, and create sustainable growth opportunities.
“TikTok for Entrepreneurs: Female Founders Edition is about helping entrepreneurs see the opportunity beyond simply being present on the platform,” said Mohamed Ayesh, Head of SMB, Middle East, Turkey and Africa at TikTok. “Today, a great piece of content can introduce a business to someone who has never heard of it, spark a conversation and and help turn discovery into business opportunity. We want to help women founders understand what makes that happen, from knowing their audience and telling their story to creating content that builds trust and drives action.”
In this context, Rania Ayman, Founder and CEO of Entreprenelle, said: “Markets are evolving faster than ever, and digital visibility has become a fundamental driver of how businesses are discovered, trusted, and grown. Our partnership with TikTok is designed to help women entrepreneurs navigate this shift strategically; equipping them with the knowledge and tools to build stronger connections with their customers, stay competitive, and turn digital opportunities into sustainable business growth”.
The event opened with a discussion on the changing face of entrepreneurship and the opportunities for women-led businesses in Egypt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, highlighting the importance of giving entrepreneurs access to the knowledge and digital tools needed to support the growth of their businesses. Held under the patronage of MSMEDA, the event also reflected the shared focus on supporting entrepreneurs and strengthening the environment for small and medium-sized businesses in Egypt. The opening also spotlighted TikTok’s commitment to supporting the entrepreneurial community and the role of its partnership with Entreprenelle in connecting with women founders across Egypt.
The first panel, “The New Era of Business Growth: How Discovery, Communities, and Content Are Reshaping the Way Businesses Grow,” looked at how discovery is changing the customer journey. The discussion explored how content and communities are reshaping brand-building, why authenticity matters and how businesses can use digital platforms to enter conversations, reach new audiences and create stronger connections with customers.
TikTok’s SMBs team followed with “How to Succeed on TikTok,” a practical workshop designed to move from theory to action. The session showed entrepreneurs how to build a presence that feels native to TikTok, create content that earns attention and builds communities, and use the platform’s tools and features with clear business objectives in mind. Real examples and case studies from small and medium-sized businesses demonstrated how brands are using TikTok to get discovered and support their growth.
The second panel, “Your Brand Should Talk: Building Brands Through Storytelling,” focused on how entrepreneurs can use storytelling to build distinctive brand identities. The discussion explored how women founders can turn the stories behind their businesses into distinctive brand identities, using authenticity and relatability to stand out, earn trust and build stronger relationships with their audiences.
The program closed with “From Content to Customers,” focusing on what happens after a customer discovers a brand. Women entrepreneurs from fashion, beauty, food and services shared how they have used content and community to move audiences from watching and engaging to taking action. The session explored how consistent content can build familiarity and trust and contribute to business growth.
Through the Female Founders Edition, TikTok and Entreprenelle provided women entrepreneurs with practical knowledge, tools and connections designed to support their business journeys. The second edition of TikTok for Entrepreneurs builds on TikTok’s continued efforts to help small and medium-sized businesses strengthen their digital presence, connect with audiences and explore new opportunities for sustainable growth.
