• Eng. Youssef Hafez: We are proud to continue our partnership with Misr El-Kheir Foundation. This year’s edition focuses on content management, e-commerce programs, and website development, among other areas.

Cairo — In a continued commitment to supporting youth and entrepreneurship, ExxonMobil Egypt, in partnership with Misr El-Kheir Foundation, celebrated and honored the graduating teams from the fourth edition of the “Innovation and Entrepreneurship Challenge”. This challenge is a collaboration with "GESR" business incubator of Misr El-Kheir’s Scientific Research and Innovation sector.

This year’s edition places a strong focus on Software as a Service (SaaS), reflecting its importance in driving sustainable development and its pivotal role in delivering innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of society. This aligns with the state’s vision to enrich vital sectors and develop young human capital.

This edition embodies the shared objectives of ExxonMobil Egypt and Misr El-Kheir Foundation in supporting innovative technological solutions and employing them to serve the community, empowering Egyptian youth, and enabling them to transform their entrepreneurial ideas into projects with a tangible social impact.

The current edition emphasizes five main tracks: "Content Management, E-commerce Software, Digital Asset Management Software, Website Development, and E-Payment Gateways", aiming to provide start-ups and SMEs with innovative solutions that enhance their growth and sustainability.

In his speech during the ceremony, Eng. Youssef Hafez, Board Member and Public & Government Affairs Manager at ExxonMobil Egypt, stated: “Today, we are proud of the continuation of our partnership with Misr El-Kheir through GESR”, pointing out that supporting youth and enabling them to unleash their creative energies and entrepreneurship is a pivotal part of our social responsibility strategy.

He continued: “With each edition of GESR Challenge, our faith in the passion and talent of Egyptian youth only grows stronger. Their extraordinary and innovative ideas embody their determination to drive positive change. We are pleased to be part of their promising journey and to continue providing the guidance, technical mentoring, and financial support that help them turn these ideas into real success stories that build a better future.”

On her part, Eng. Amal Mobadda, CEO of Resource Development at Misr El-Kheir Foundation, said: “GESR program reflects Misr El-Kheir Foundation’s values of supporting innovation, advancing scientific research, and promoting entrepreneurship. The program is designed to support innovative entrepreneurs in the SaaS sector, helping them develop viable prototypes. Our partnership with ExxonMobil Egypt is a pioneering model of cooperation between the private sector and community institutions in building the capacity of young people and achieving a real and sustainable social impact that enhances community development in Egypt.”

She continued: “Through GESR incubator, we work to we nurture and empower young talent, and we seek this partnership to be the optimal way to provide innovative solutions, so that we can contribute together to preparing new generations capable of facing challenges and creating the future. We believe that entrepreneurship represents the cornerstone of our corporate social responsibility strategy.”

The five winning teams of this year’s edition presented innovative SaaS projects aimed at streamlining business operations, boosting productivity, and providing integrated services to drive SME growth. Among them, Albootcamp launched an Arabic platform to promote collaborative learning and academic networking across the MENA region, offering services ranging from affordable course booking, quality evaluation, and digital payment to a reward and incentive system.

Meanwhile, Dameg developed a smart tool designed to empower people with disabilities, providing innovative functions that support greater independence in daily life. In the field of e-commerce, Board Pins introduced an integrated platform that connects merchants with service providers in an interactive project management environment, enabling SMEs to showcase their services professionally and expand into African and global markets.

Similarly, Merkato developed an industrial platform to market SME products locally and internationally, using advanced technologies such as interactive virtual reality showcases. Finally, with a focus on sustainability, Reffurn launched a specialized online marketplace for refurbished furniture, offering a diverse range of new, used, and redesigned pieces.

It is worth mentioning that since its launch in 2021, the "Innovation and Entrepreneurship Challenge" project has succeeded in supporting 20 innovative entrepreneurial teams from various governorates, in several vital fields, including energy, environment, agriculture, educational technology, and electronic applications.

About ExxonMobil Egypt:

ExxonMobil has been a leading provider of high-quality fuels and lubricants products and services since 1902 with a wide network of service stations and convenience retail shops. ExxonMobil builds on a rich history that began about 120 years ago in Egypt, starting with the registration of Vacuum Oil Company (Mobil) in 1902. ExxonMobil Egypt has more than 350 service centers under “Mobil” name, more than 240 service centers for Mobil 1 and Mobil Autocare, in addition to 28 “On the Run” branches, and an increasing number of “Way to Go” branches that reached 18 branches. ExxonMobil Egypt offers a diversified range of industrial products, lubricant solutions and services, in Egypt and more than 40 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, America and the Far East, supported by two lubricant blending manufacturers in Alexandria and the 10th of Ramadan.  

Since 2019, ExxonMobil has resumed its interest in exploration and drilling in Egypt. ExxonMobil has been awarded concessions in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, securing exploration rights to several blocks offshore Egypt, located in the outer Nile Delta. ExxonMobil conducted the largest 3D seismic survey in the East Mediterranean. As part of ExxonMobil’s commitment to safety, and adherence to global standards of environmental compliance, ExxonMobil organized a ‘Regional Response Team’ training in collaboration with the Egyptian authorities demonstrating its highest global “Readiness to Respond” abilities in emergency situations. ExxonMobil drilled its first well, Nefertari 1 in the North Marakia Block with the objective to identify anchor development opportunities to create a long-term upstream presence in Egypt.

ExxonMobil Egypt is committed to participating in many community initiatives related to education, development, and women, serving different sectors and groups in Egyptian society.

About Misr El-Kheir GESR:

GESR Misr El-Kheir is a technological business incubator affiliated to the Scientific Research and Innovation Sector of the Misr El-Kheir Foundation. It aims to solve Egypt's social challenges in the field of energy, water, health, food and agricultural crops, and education, by supporting entrepreneurs, innovators, and startup companies through three pillars:

  • - Helping entrepreneurs transform initial ideas into prototypes.
  • - Helping startups turn prototypes into finished products.
  • - Connecting incubated companies with investors.

GESR Misr El-Kheir Incubator has successfully conducted 13 incubation cycles, receiving more than 2,000 applicants from 13 governorates. It has incubated 59 startups, 10 of which have received investments, creating more than 650 job opportunities. The incubator has also offered five pre-incubation cycles and 12 societal challenges with more than 1,200 participants, resulting in over 65 prototypes for innovative products. Additionally, five of the graduated companies received investments.