Fayoum University has signed a cooperation protocol with Athar Accelerator to support entrepreneurship and the development of startups in Upper Egypt. The partnership was celebrated alongside an awards ceremony for the winners of the One Million Ideas Challenge hackathon, which was organized by the university.
Key Highlights
The event showcased the university’s growing commitment to innovation through two major announcements:
- Strategic Partnership: A new cooperation protocol signed between Fayoum University and Athar Accelerator.
- Core Mission: To enhance innovation, empower youth, and provide entrepreneurship training for students and faculty.
- Key Initiative: The One Million Ideas Challenge hackathon honored its winning teams.
- Winning Project: The Banana Medical team won for its innovative project on manufacturing sustainable surgical threads.
A Strategic Partnership to Foster Innovation
The protocol, signed by Dr. Assem Fouad El-Essawy, Vice President of Fayoum University, and Shoaib Mohamed Abdel Hakim, Chairman of Athar Accelerator, aims to strengthen the entrepreneurial capabilities of the university’s students and faculty. The collaboration will include training, mentorship, hackathons, and bootcamps. A key component will be a Training of Trainers (ToT) program for faculty members on entrepreneurship and mentorship curricula, with certificates accredited by the American University in Cairo.
One Million Ideas Challenge Showcases Student Talent
The event also celebrated the participants and winners of the One Million Ideas Challenge hackathon. The winning project, announced by Dr. Emad Abdel Salam, was Banana Medical, a team that developed a method for manufacturing surgical threads from a natural product. The innovative thread is 85% natural, sustainable, leaves no trace on the patient, and is cheaper yet highly efficient compared to alternatives.
Building an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Dr. Assem El-Essawy noted that this initiative is part of a broader strategy that began two years ago with the university’s first entrepreneurship protocol. Since then, the university has integrated entrepreneurship as a formal course and has continuously offered workshops and training to create a direct link between students and the innovation ecosystem. This new partnership with Athar Accelerator is set to further enhance these efforts, strengthening the university’s role in the economic and social development of the nation.
Source: Filgamaa
