Ahmad Hammouda, Co-Founder and CEO of Thndr, Egypt’s leading digital investment platform, emphasized that investment has become a fundamental necessity rather than a luxury, warning that relying solely on savings exposes individuals to significant loss in purchasing power.
Hammouda made these remarks during his keynote address at the 4th Edition of the Top 50 Women Forum, held under the auspices of the Egyptian Cabinet and the Central Bank of Egypt. The session, titled “Your Defining Steps: From Innovation to Market,” brought together entrepreneurs, policymakers, and business leaders to discuss practical pathways for transforming innovative ideas into scalable, sustainable ventures.
Thndr’s Mission: Democratizing Investment in Egypt
Drawing on recent economic realities, Hammouda pointed to the experience of 2023, when many Egyptians saw their savings lose a substantial portion of their real value. He stressed that Thndr was founded to address this exact challenge by enabling individuals to invest safely, transparently, and effectively.
“Investment today is the primary tool for protecting wealth,” Hammouda said. “Thndr exists to make capital markets accessible to everyone, not just a privileged few.”
Founded in 2019, Thndr set out to challenge deeply rooted assumptions that Egyptian individuals were neither ready nor willing to invest in the stock market. According to Hammouda, the company’s greatest early obstacle was not regulation, but skepticism toward the average citizen’s financial capabilities.
From Digital Vision to Market Breakthrough
That perception shifted dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated digital adoption across financial services. As Thndr introduced an innovative digital brokerage model to Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority, the platform secured a landmark brokerage license — the first issued since 2008.
This milestone, Hammouda noted, confirmed Thndr’s founding belief that every Egyptian has the right to invest and build wealth, and that financial inclusion can only be achieved through accessible, technology-driven solutions.
Empowering Minds Alongside Capital
Beyond investing money, Hammouda emphasized the importance of investing in knowledge. He urged young professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs to focus less on academic credentials and more on continuous learning, reading, and exposure to global success stories.
He encouraged participants to raise their ambitions by studying leaders such as Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos, cautioning that limiting self-comparison to one’s immediate environment can create a misleading sense of achievement. Hammouda also warned against sacrificing health for work, stressing that well-being remains an essential form of capital.
A Boost To Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
The forum also witnessed the announcement of a strategic partnership with the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), underscoring the agency’s pivotal role in empowering entrepreneurs and supporting small and medium enterprises across Egypt.
This collaboration aims to transform the forum into a long-term program focused on nurturing youth entrepreneurship, facilitating access to funding, and integrating innovation, technology, and modern sciences into Egypt’s economic framework — an ecosystem in which platforms like Thndr play a central role.
Fundraising Insights for Startups
Addressing entrepreneurs, Hammouda offered candid advice on fundraising, noting that investment rounds rarely unfold as planned. “You may pitch to dozens of investors and receive funding from the least expected source,” he said.
While cautioning against excessive reliance on bootstrapping except for side projects, he emphasized that engaging with investors is a critical process that reveals weaknesses and strengthens business models through scrutiny.
Innovation Favors the Unconventional
Hammouda concluded with a guiding principle for innovation: the ideas that initially appear unconventional or even impossible are often the most successful.
“If everyone agrees your idea is perfect and logical,” he said, “it usually means many others are already doing it.”
Shaping the Future of Investment and Entrepreneurship
The 4th Edition of the Top 50 Women Forum brought together government officials, ambassadors, university leaders, private-sector executives, and youth delegations from public and private universities. Through specialized sessions and workshops, the forum focused on labor-market transformation, future skills, and the integration of STEM disciplines and artificial intelligence into education and employment.
As a leading fintech platform, Thndr continues to play a key role in advancing financial literacy, expanding access to investment tools, and supporting Egypt’s broader vision for inclusive economic growth.
