Egypt Launches New Valley’s First Hackathon to Boost Youth Innovation and Digital Entrepreneurship
In the New Valley Governorate, Egypt has opened the doors to its first-ever hackathon, which was a move that would enable the youth to acquire hands-on tech skills, to brainstorm startup ideas, and eventually to be involved in the digital transformation of the country.
Entitled New Valley Innovates, the hackathon is the joint effort of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the New Valley Governorate.
The main aim of New Valley Innovates is to instill a stronger culture of innovation and digital entrepreneurship in the area. The initiative emphasizes the early detection of the young talents and giving the participants a place where they can experiment with their ideas, develop their solutions and learn through real teamwork.
The hackathon format, rather than being strictly focused on theory, is intended to promote practical problem-solving. The participants will be working under a time constraint, forming teams, and coming up with technology-oriented ideas that can be nurtured into actual projects.
New Valley, while being one of the largest in Egypt in terms of area, is usually regarded as the least developed among the major urban centers. The MCIT and the governorate’s decision to hold the hackathon in New Valley is a way to ensure that the young innovators outside the metropolitan areas will have access to the tech and startup industry’s opportunities just like those of their urban counterparts.
The move is in line with Egypt’s long-term goal of widening the digital net and fostering the participation of young people in the tech-driven sectors.
The event New Valley Innovates is presented as the first step of a long-term plan, not just as an isolated occurrence. Through this hackathon, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT) and New Valley officials intend to:
- Inspire innovation in the youth
- Give help to the nascent tech ideas
- Make the region more aware of entrepreneurship
- Increase the local involvement in Egypt’s digital economy
The first hackathon in New Valley is being used by Egypt to identify local talents, enhance tech skills, and provide support to young entrepreneurs creating the next generation of digital solutions.