Mostafa Hafez 

Industry: Video Games
Founded: 2005
www.timelineinteractive.com

Timeline Interactive is a game changer in one of the world’s fastest growing industries. Founded in 2005 by Mostafa Hafez, Timeline develops video games that can be purchased and downloaded online instead of from a physical store. 

The Business

Timeline is the first and only video game studio in the Middle East certified by Microsoft and Sony to develop games for XBOX 360 and PS3.

In 2009, after several years of small releases, Timeline released Cell Factor: Psychokinetic Wars, the world's first downloadable game to use sophisticated 3D visuals and game play physics, priced at just US$10. Cell Factor showcased Timeline's development prowess to the international gaming community and sold over 100,000 downloads. As the global video game industry evolves towards downloadable games built for multiple platforms, Timeline's past successes and geographic location make it uniquely positioned to grow with the market.

The Entrepreneur

Mostafa Hafez dreamed of making video games long before the tools were available in Egypt. When he finally got his first computer in high school, he worked tirelessly to complete his first single role playing game, called 'Journey's End', which was sold for worldwide distribution before he graduated from high school. In 2005, after graduating from Ain Shams University, Mostafa founded Egypt's first videogame development company: Timeline Interactive. 

In 2007, Timeline secured its first round of financing from the Egyptian government's Technology Development Fund (TDF).