Sir Magdi Yacoub, the Egyptian-British heart surgeon whose name has become synonymous with medical excellence, called on entrepreneurs to look beyond profits and confront poverty, disease, and unequal access to healthcare, speaking at the Global Entrepreneurship Festival 2026 in Cairo on Friday.
The renowned professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Imperial College London, and founder of the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation, delivered his message during the festival's opening session, which gathered more than 10,000 participants from over 70 countries, according to Al-Ahram's report. The festival runs from 6 to 8 November in the Egyptian capital.
Egypt's son carries a message of responsibility to the world
That Cairo hosts such a gathering, and that an Egyptian-born surgeon stands as its moral voice, is a moment of pride for the nation that gave the world one of its finest medical minds. Yacoub's journey from Belqas in Daqahlia to the operating theatres of London, and his return to build a world-class heart centre at Aswan, embodies the Egyptian genius that refuses to be confined by geography.
The surgeon said entrepreneurship and innovation remain vital to economic development, job creation, and the advancement of societies, but insisted they must also serve the lives of ordinary people. Reporting on his remarks, followict quoted him affirming that entrepreneurship is no longer limited to founding companies, but extends to achieving social justice.
Entrepreneurs have a responsibility that does not stop at profits and growing investments, but extends to saving patients' lives, confronting poverty, and providing education and work for those who need them most.
He cited three intertwined challenges: poverty, with large sections of humanity still living below the poverty line; inadequate education; and disease, which he called the most important of the three. Universal healthcare and equitable access to medical services are essential, he said, yet the rising cost of delivering care threatens the very principle of equal treatment.
Cardiovascular disease: an epidemic hitting the developing world hardest
Yacoub described cardiovascular disease as a global epidemic, killing millions and leaving millions more with disabilities. It strikes newborns, children, young adults, and the elderly alike, in rich and poor countries alike, with heart failure growing worldwide.
The burden falls overwhelmingly on the South. Developing countries bear around 90 percent of the disease's impact, he said. Beyond the heart attacks and strokes common everywhere, they also carry additional afflictions: rheumatic heart disease and neglected congenital heart conditions.
This unequal distribution of disease and treatment reflects a wider unfairness, the surgeon warned, calling the world an increasingly unjust place that demands urgent action. The Egyptian Gazette reported that he stressed the growing importance of social responsibility among organisations and businesses, noting that many communities worldwide still suffer from poverty and inadequate healthcare.
Compassionate capitalism and the Edinburgh dinner story
Social responsibility in business is no novelty, Yacoub noted, recalling the concept of compassionate capitalism and a story from a book and film by an entrepreneur from Grand Rapids in the United States.
A group of industrialists dined at an expensive restaurant in Edinburgh, Scotland. A hungry young boy approached asking for money, and the waiters moved to remove him. One of the entrepreneurs instead invited him to join the table, then offered him work at a newly established factory that needed young people with energy and expertise. The arrangement benefited the boy and the business alike.
The lesson, Yacoub said, is that enterprises can meet social needs by creating meaningful employment and opportunity rather than short-term charity. Tackling inequality demands sustained collaboration among governments, civil society, individuals, and entrepreneurs willing to invest in solutions that serve their communities.
A call with deep resonance in Egypt
For Egyptians, Yacoub's words carry particular weight. His own foundation has performed thousands of free heart operations for children, proving that world-class medicine can be built on Egyptian soil by Egyptian hands. His call aligns with the national drive to expand healthcare access through initiatives such as the comprehensive health insurance system now rolling out across the governorates.
The surgeon urged festival participants to recognise their responsibility toward future generations, warning that the scale of global inequality cannot be allowed to continue without action, as Fintechgate reported that he framed community responsibility as a human and economic necessity.
What is the Global Entrepreneurship Festival?
The third edition of the festival, running 6 to 8 November in Cairo, brings together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and business leaders from Egypt and abroad to discuss investment, innovation, and the role of entrepreneurship in development.
What did Magdi Yacoub ask entrepreneurs to do?
He asked them to use their capacity to generate wealth in service of society: fighting poverty, expanding education, and ensuring equitable access to healthcare, in cooperation with governments, civil society, and local communities.
How much of the cardiovascular disease burden falls on developing countries?
According to Yacoub, developing countries bear around 90 percent of the global impact of cardiovascular disease.