Student-led innovations from Saudi Arabia and Morocco have secured top honors at the recent INJAZ Al-Arab Young Entrepreneurs Celebration in Cairo, showcasing how the region’s youth are transforming sustainability challenges into practical business solutions. The two ventures, Clear Flow from Saudi Arabia and Sparks from Morocco, were awarded the Alshaya Group–Starbucks Sustainable Business Award.
The teams were selected from a competitive pool of 22 teams representing 12 countries at one of the region’s most prominent youth entrepreneurship events.
Saudi Innovation Tackles Single-Use Waste
Clear Flow, a team of high school students from Saudi Arabia, addressed the environmental impact of single-use coffee cups at Starbucks. Their solution is a returnable cup system powered by the “EcoCup” application.
The app integrates directly with the Starbucks Rewards program to track the use of reusable cups and incentivize customers to adopt them. The team developed a comprehensive lifecycle for the initiative, including dedicated collection bins, cleaning solutions, and incentivized recycling bins for paper cups to promote broader waste reduction.
Moroccan Platform Gamifies Sustainable Habits
Sparks, a university team from INJAZ Morocco, created a digital platform designed to encourage customers to adopt sustainable habits while earning rewards.
Their application allows users to scan a QR code after making eco-friendly choices at Starbucks, such as recycling, using a personal cup, or collecting used coffee grounds. These actions earn users “Eco-Points,” which can be redeemed for rewards through the Starbucks Rewards app, effectively reinforcing and promoting sustainable behaviors.
Fostering A New Generation of Innovators
Mohamed Mahmoud, Senior Vice President of Starbucks at Alshaya Group and a member of this year’s judging panel, commented on the winning projects. “Clear Flow and Sparks demonstrate how youth are applying creativity to serve their communities. Their innovations are practical, purposeful, and aligned with the values we cherish at Starbucks,” he said. “We are proud to recognize their creativity and support the next generation of changemakers who are shaping a more sustainable future across the Arab region.”
Akef Aqrabawi, President and CEO of INJAZ Al-Arab, added, “The winning projects reflect how youth innovation can drive sustainable solutions for our region’s most pressing challenges. Through our partnership with Alshaya Group–Starbucks, we continue to empower young people with the skills and confidence to turn ideas into action.”
Other notable winners at the event included Oman’s Qshour (University Company of the Year), Palestine’s EcoRock (High School Company of the Year), Saudi Arabia’s Rouh (University Product of the Year), and the UAE’s Raykom (High School Product of the Year).
About The Alshaya-Starbucks Sustainable Business Award
The Alshaya Group–Starbucks Sustainable Business Award is the result of a three-year partnership between The Starbucks Foundation, Alshaya Group, and INJAZ Al-Arab. The award is part of the regional “Makkenni” program, which equips young people with entrepreneurship skills, sustainability awareness, and practical experience. In its first year, the program has engaged with over 86,000 young men and women across the region.
Source: Zawya
