Under the patronage of Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Innovators and Geniuses Support Fund (IGSF), in cooperation with the Leadership Development Institute (LDI), has launched the "Recycle, Innovate, Build" competition. The initiative aims to encourage university and institute students to develop innovative solutions that transform university waste from an environmental challenge into an opportunity for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Tamer Hamouda, Executive Director of the Innovators and Geniuses Support Fund, stated that the competition targets students at universities and higher institutes, empowering them to develop innovative and sustainable solutions for university waste management through monitoring, sorting, recycling, and creating economic value from waste. The initiative contributes to achieving the objectives of Egypt Vision 2030 in environmental sustainability, the green economy, and the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Hamouda added that the competitions organized by the Fund serve as a genuine platform for discovering and nurturing young talents by providing innovators with integrated pathways for support, incubation, and mentorship. These initiatives enable participants to transform their ideas into innovative startups capable of delivering impactful solutions that support the national economy while fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
For his part, Dr. Karim Hammam, Advisor to the Minister of Higher Education for Student Activities and Director of the Leadership Development Institute, emphasized the Institute's commitment to supporting initiatives and competitions that develop students' capabilities and enhance their creative skills. He noted that the competition represents a comprehensive model linking student activities with sustainable development priorities and societal challenges, thereby strengthening students' role as active partners in building a more sustainable future.
He further stressed that the collaboration with the Innovators and Geniuses Support Fund reflects the integration of national efforts to promote innovation and entrepreneurship across universities and institutes, while providing students with opportunities to transform their innovative ideas into implementable projects with tangible economic and environmental impact.
Dr. Mostafa Amin, Competition Director at the Innovators and Geniuses Support Fund, explained that the competition consists of two main phases. The first phase will be held at the university and institute level, beginning with institutional registration, followed by internal competitions and hackathons to identify the best student ideas and innovations. Multidisciplinary teams will be formed to develop integrated solutions covering the competition's four thematic tracks.
The second phase will be conducted at the national level, where each participating university or institute may nominate up to three teams. The nominated projects will undergo a specialized evaluation and judging process to select the finalists, who will then receive support to further develop their prototypes before presenting them to the final judging panel during the closing event, where the winning teams will be announced and honored.
The competition timeline begins with the submission of registration applications by universities and institutes until 22 July 2026. Internal competitions and hackathons will then be held between 22 July and 22 August 2026 to select the participating teams.
Applications from nominated teams will be accepted until 31 August 2026, while the shortlist of finalists will be announced on 21 September 2026. The project development and prototype-building phase will run from 21 September to 21 October 2026, followed by the final evaluation on 15 November 2026. The competition will conclude with the Grand Finale on 23 November 2026, during which the winning teams and the best innovative solutions will be announced and honored.
The competition guide, participation requirements, and competition tracks are available at:
https://tinyurl.com/2jsfj6hw
Universities and institutes wishing to participate may register through:
https://tinyurl.com/dd866wvf
For additional information, please visit the official website of the Innovators and Geniuses Support Fund:
www.isf.gov.eg
University and institute students interested in participating are encouraged to contact the competition coordinator at their respective institutions to complete the registration process and form participating teams.
