Creativa Innovation Hub in Damanhour has concluded Damanhour City Hackathon, held over 11 days at the Hub’s premises, with the total prize awards amounting to EGP 190K.
The hackathon featured two tracks: AgriTech, which focused on developing sustainable tech solutions within the agriculture sector; and NeoTech, which explored innovative digital solutions across various sectors such as healthcare, education, commerce, sports, and assistive technology for persons with disabilities (PwDs).
A total of 31 teams of young innovators and entrepreneurs from Beheira Governorate and the Nile Delta participated in the event. They had been qualified from the pre-incubation programs organized at the Hub from April 23 to July 13. Participants received intensive training that included workshops and mentoring sessions covering topics such as ideation, market analysis, prototyping, business modeling, digital branding, and pitching skills.
At the final pitching day, the winners were announced for each track. In the AgriTech track, Carbonera won first place and EGP 35K for developing a solution that transforms agricultural waste into activated carbon for water purification and soil enhancement. Algae Mall secured second place with EGP 25K for developing a smart platform leveraging microalgae to produce organic fertilizers and nutritional supplements.
Next Generation Technologies (NGT) claimed third place and an EGP 15K prize for a digital solution that uses IoT-based soil moisture sensors and a mobile app to improve productivity and reduce water consumption. In addition, Reef Plus received an EGP 10K prize for employing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyze crop images, detect plant diseases with precision, and recommend immediate treatments to minimize agricultural losses.
In the NeoTech track, MindPal won first place and EGP 35K for developing an AI-powered platform to aid Alzheimer’s patients through early detection and ongoing monitoring. Capstone earned second place and EGP 25K for its comprehensive software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution that integrates accounting, HR, and resource management solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Alpha Animica won third place and EGP 15K for developing an application that offers healthcare services for pets.
Moreover, three other teams received prizes of EGP 10K each: Business Line (Smart Inventory) for an AI-based inventory management solution; Afia for a telehealth emergency platform that connects patients to nearby hospitals and ambulance services; and Forza for a digital platform that simplifies sports facility bookings.
The judging panels included leading experts in entrepreneurship and technology from private sector partners and innovation-enabling organizations. Projects were evaluated based on four criteria, including innovation, feasibility, market potential, and community impact.
The Hackathon was organized in line with the vision of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), and the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (TIEC) to promote innovation and digital entrepreneurship nationwide. It aims to empower youth to design and implement tech-driven solutions to real-world challenges and create added value for their communities while providing an entrepreneurial ecosystem that enables promising ideas to transform into executable business ventures.
Creativa Innovation Hubs is a national initiative launched by MCIT and implemented in collaboration with ITIDA and several partners. The hubs operate across different governorates, creating a conducive environment for technological innovation, empowering startups to grow and compete, and providing advanced training for university students and graduates, helping enhance their skills and prepare them for the local and global labor markets.
