Egyptian business enables young entrepreneurs to become scorpion kings

FAYOUM, Egypt - At a scorpion farm in Fayoum province south of Cairo, dozens of labeled, square plastic bowls with soft sides that prevent the arachnids from climbing out, known as scorpion cages, are organized on shelves in a special room, each containing about 20 male and female scorpions.

Hosting more than 3,000 scorpions, the farm is part of a project started by Egyptian youths to extract scorpion venom both for business and scientific research.

It is one of a few farms belonging to Cairo Venom, a company that started the business in 2015. Then it was home to just 100 scorpions, but now it owns about 60,000.