Mon November 20, 2023 | 11:40 a.m.
The American Cultural Center, in partnership with the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the American University in Cairo, celebrated the conclusion of the Global Entrepreneurship Week at the American University in Cairo, after a successful week of workshops and roundtables presented to thousands of participants online. and in-person in Cairo, Alexandria and Mansoura on US and Egyptian entrepreneurial ecosystems, youth empowerment, investment readiness and female entrepreneurship opportunities, November 13-19.
During the closing ceremony, 16 teams will participate in a “hackathon” competition to present their ideas for sustainable and innovative business solutions to environmental and social challenges. The first winning team, Qatfa, won the Environmental Innovation Award for their innovative solutions in food preservation and waste reduction to create natural coatings for fruits and vegetables for a more sustainable future .
As for the Community Innovation Awards, both “Halet Wasl” – a community kitchen initiative that aims to help people communicate through cooking, and “My Child” – an initiative that aims to improve the relationship between parents and children and to reduce the intellectual gap. , won. Between the two generations.
In his closing remarks, Minister Counselor for Public Affairs Rubin Harutunian said: “Our American commitment to the next generation of changemakers in Egypt runs deep. Since 1978, the U.S. government has contributed more than $30 billion to Egypt’s development, making it one of the most substantial aid commitments to any country in the world.”
He also spoke about the opportunities for Egyptian entrepreneurs at the annual SelectUSA conference in Washington, saying: “Once Egyptian entrepreneurs establish their businesses in the Egyptian market, we can help those who want to expand by investing in the United States. United. By being present in the US entrepreneurial ecosystem, innovative Egyptian start-ups can benefit from exposure to the largest source of venture capital in the world. The annual SelectUSA conference in Washington, DC, this June, is designed to help potential technology investors around the world pursue this strategy.
Harutunian also addressed current events in Gaza, saying “it is humbling to be here at a time when Palestinian civilians are suffering in Gaza. We are committed to working with leaders in Egypt and across the region to protect innocent civilians and increase the continued flow of emergency humanitarian assistance into Gaza. We are grateful to Egypt for its leadership during this crisis.
