As part of the 4th edition of the Egyptian Women’s Summit 2025, the Industry & STEM Hackathon 2025 was conducted under the framework of the STEM & AI Challenge, organized by Nile University’s Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness Center (IECC), with strategic support from TAQA Arabia and Suez Canal Bank.
Wide Participation from Egyptian Universities
The hackathon saw submissions from over 160 projects developed by students across 28 Egyptian universities. Following a competitive evaluation, six projects were selected as winners—three in Industry & STEM and three in FinTech—demonstrating both the diversity and high caliber of participating teams.
Ahead of the awards, Dr. Heba Labib, Vice President of Nile University for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, highlighted the importance of linking academic research and entrepreneurship with market needs, praising the advanced quality of the student projects.
Industry & STEM Hackathon Winners
In the Industry & STEM category, Dina Abdel Fattah, Founder and Chairwoman of the Top 50 Women Forum, invited Dr. Walid Mohamed Wafaie, Group HR director TAQA gas, to present the awards. Each winning project received a cash prize of EGP 75,000.
- First Place: NEXUS – Helwan University
Karim Emad El-Tahamy and Mohamed Galal El-Din El-Gomai developed an integrated platform to support Egypt’s next generation of entrepreneurs, guiding projects from initial ideas to successful market exit. - Second Place: Care Pill – October 6 University
Mohamed Abu Zeid Hassanein Mohamed, Mohamed Ahmed Ahmed Abed, Mohamed Mahmoud Mohamed Ahmed, Yehia Zakaria El-Sayed, and Mohab Ashraf Gouda Abdel Qader created a smart medication adherence system using AI, IoT, and cloud computing, combining a smart dispensing device, interactive mobile app, and cloud analytics platform. - Third Place: Smart Fire Detection and Response System – October 6 University
Habiba Saber Hamed, Lobna Mohamed Nagi, Abdelrahman Mohamed Sayed, Basma Ahmed Mohamed, Mohamed Wissam Mamdouh, Adham Mohamed Ibrahim, Adham Rami Mohamed, and Mohamed Essam Shahata developed an AI-based system for real-time fire detection and response, enabling accurate early intervention.
Driving Innovation and Youth Empowerment
Dr. Wafai emphasized that innovation is a critical driver of sustainable development and a knowledge-based economy. He underlined that investing in young minds is as important as investing in infrastructure, and praised the role of youth in leveraging technology to transform Egypt’s energy and technology sectors.
The strong participation in the hackathon reflects a growing culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among Egyptian students, demonstrating that the country’s youth are capable of generating impactful technological solutions.
Promoting Academia and Industry Collaboration
At the conclusion of the hackathon, organizers expressed their appreciation to Dr. Walid Wafai, TAQA Gas Group, and TAQA Arabia for their strategic support. These partnerships exemplify the successful collaboration between private sector organizations and academic institutions in fostering youth talent, innovation, and building a knowledge-driven future. It also reinforces their commitment to empowering youth and promoting innovation in science, technology, and artificial intelligence
