Creativa Innovation Hub in Ismailia has announced the two winning teams of GreenHack Hackathon, held on June 25-29, under the theme “Precision Agriculture Challenges for Pest Control.” Organized in collaboration with Dakahlia Agricultural Development Company, the event brought together leading experts and researchers from the Agricultural Research Center, alongside wide engagement from young entrepreneurs.
The hackathon was part of the ongoing efforts 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 drive digital transformation within the agriculture sector. It aimed to promote the adoption of advanced technologies to develop innovative, efficient, and sustainable solutions to pressing environmental and productivity-related challenges.
The program featured hands-on workshops and advisory sessions focused on designing and developing cutting-edge solutions using Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and robotics to serve the smart agriculture sector. Participants also received intensive training in prototyping and pitching their ideas and projects before the judging panel.
Fourteen teams participated in the hackathon. Team Developers won first place, receiving a prize of EGP 20,000, for its smart detection technology designed to monitor and track pests in small-scale citrus farms. The project integrates an AI-powered camera with IoT sensors.
Team PI secured second place, receiving EGP 15,000, for developing a smart unit that can be worn as a vest or mounted on agricultural tractors to enable real-time detection and targeted intervention. The unit features an embedded camera and sensors that accurately identify pest-infested areas and guide farmers with auditory cues to ensure precision treatment, thus improving pest control efficiency and optimizing pesticide usage.
The judging panel included representatives from Creativa Innovation Hubs, Banque du Caire, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Dakahlia Agricultural Development Company. The projects were evaluated based on criteria such as innovation, feasibility, and social impact.
GreenHack reflects broader efforts to empower young Egyptian talent and entrepreneurs in developing innovative tech-enabled solutions that contribute to strengthening the development and integration of advanced technologies across priority sectors.
Creativa Innovation Hubs is a national initiative led by MCIT and implemented across the country by ITIDA. The initiative aims to foster a dynamic digital innovation ecosystem, help Egyptian startups grow, attract investment, and compete in global markets; and broaden access to advanced technical training. The Hubs also play a key role in equipping university students and graduates with the skills and opportunities needed to succeed in local and international markets
