Dr. Sherif Fakhry Mohamed Abdel Nabi, President of the Egyptian Russian University revealed that within the framework of encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship among students and researchers at the university, supporting promising ideas and projects, and providing the appropriate environment to develop their skills and creativity, the university administration was keen to cooperate with the Fund for Welfare of Innovators and Geniuses at the Ministry of Higher education and scientific research,” and participating in the Egyptian Universities Startup Olympiad and benefiting from this opportunity as the university is one of the educational institutions serving the Greater Cairo sector in Egypt, noting that the participation comes with the support of Dr. Mohamed Kamal Al-Sayed Mostafa, Chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees.

The President of the Egyptian Russian University stressed that participation in these academic competitions comes from the university’s vision to become one of the distinguished private universities in academic education, culture, scientific research, innovation and knowledge in Egypt and at the international level, and to enhance the state’s efforts within the framework of implementing the national strategy for higher education and scientific research. 2030, which pays great attention to entrepreneurship and innovation, and in an effort by the university to achieve the axis of Egyptian society becoming, by the year (2030), a creative, innovative, and productive society of science, technology, and knowledge.

In the same context, Dr. Essam Khamis, Advisor to the President of the Egyptian Russian University for Academic Development, explained that the National Vision (2030) for Egypt contains a special axis on knowledge, technology and innovation that aims to make Egyptian society by the year (2030) a creative and innovative society, and has products related to science , technology and Knowledge that  achieve national goals and challenges through a set of strategic objectives. He pointed out that the Start-up Olympiad on campus focuses on entrepreneurial teams at the university, whether they are: “students, researchers, or professors,” with the aim of developing their creative ideas into a real business model that seeks to creating startup companies, noting that the Olympiad will consist of different stages in which training courses, guidance and counseling services will be provided through two tracks: “the students’ track and the researchers’ track.”

The advisor to the President of the Egyptian Russian University for Academic Development stated that a listening and evaluation committee was held for (15 projects in the student track of four colleges, namely: “Faculty of Pharmacy, College of Engineering, College of Management, Economics, and Business Technology, and College of Artificial Intelligence,” and it was attended by a group of college deputies and professors. The results showed the excellence of all submitted projects and their eligibility to qualify for the second stage, pointing out that the university will also participate with a number of (6) projects in the researchers’ track for faculty members and the university’s supporting staff.

For his part, Dr. Saeed Hassan Ibrahim, Coordinator of the University’s Innovators and Geniuses Fund and Vice Dean of the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence, explained that the university’s management proposal for the Startup Olympiad, the Egyptian Russian University includes a set of stages as follows: “The first stage” includes publicity and announcement of the Egyptian Russian University Olympiad by organizing seminars and forums with students and researchers and creating promotional materials “posters, the university’s official website, publications on the university’s official social media”; With the aim of explaining the details of the Olympiad and motivating the largest segment of students and researchers to participate.

The coordinator of the University’s Innovators and Geniuses Fund indicated that the second phase includes: “training services, guidance, project support and development by providing training courses and workshops covering various aspects of entrepreneurship,” such as business planning, market research, financial management, presentation skills, public relations, and feasibility studies. With the aim of developing skills and capabilities, as well as holding courses and lectures in the field of specializations of the projects presented with the aim of developing ideas, providing innovative solutions for implementation, and holding lectures on technology transfer mechanisms and strategies and how to apply them in practice.

The Vice Dean of the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence pointed out that the necessary resources will be provided to help students and researchers support and develop the project, whether it is: “a product, service, or technological solution.” The third stage includes: “evaluation, final arbitration of innovative ideas, and works submitted through a committee.” It includes specialists, investors, and industry experts to evaluate projects based on the novelty of the idea or project, the extent of its innovation, the ability of the idea or project to serve a wide sector of individuals in particular, and society in general in various fields, the project’s feasibility of implementation, and the multiplicity of its application areas.

Dr. Saeed Hassan Ibrahim noted that a closing ceremony will be held to honor and hand over prizes to the best three projects in the student track and the best three projects in the researchers’ track with a large celebration in the presence of: “the university president, college deans, symbols of higher education, public figures, local and executive authorities, community activists, civilians and industrialists.