Ebda2 with Google Announces Top 20 Finalists
Start with Google announced the top 20 finalists of the national competition. The top 20 bring together a pool of innovative online entrepreneurs. Their projects cover a range of products including websites, mobile apps and online services to help your day-to-day lives. The top 20 will now be preparing for the final presentations that will take place in May to compete to win the nation’s top prize of LE 1.2 million seed capital to start their business.
These finalists have successfully completed the previous two rounds of judging that included an exhibition event held on the 20th March 2012 in Cairo. During the exhibition event, 50 teams that were shortlisted had their own booth to present a working model of their project. In addition, each team showcased their projects before a panel of judges. Their time was limited to five minutes in order for them to demonstrate their creativity and create the most impact in a short space of time.
"Google is extremely excited about this event in which 50 companies have been formed in 6 months thanks to the partnership alongside Science Age Society, Innoventures to create commercial registration and result in sustainable companies in Egypt,” said Wael Fakharany, Google Regional Manager, Egypt and North Africa. “We are very excited about the outcome of this competition and we have very high hopes for all the competitors. The final winners will be the recipient of the $200,000 grand prize a few months later after the final event."
The Top 20 have been mentored over the last couple of months, been through two judging rounds and attend the Start with Google crash course that offered them in depth knowledge in the entrepreneurial world and their specific sector.
Google initiated this competition to spark the effective minority of Egypt’s economy of small and medium size enterprise businesses. The company committed to contribute to Egypt’s internet ecosystem as part of a framework agreement signed with the Egyptian government back in 2009.
These finalists have successfully completed the previous two rounds of judging that included an exhibition event held on the 20th March 2012 in Cairo. During the exhibition event, 50 teams that were shortlisted had their own booth to present a working model of their project. In addition, each team showcased their projects before a panel of judges. Their time was limited to five minutes in order for them to demonstrate their creativity and create the most impact in a short space of time.
"Google is extremely excited about this event in which 50 companies have been formed in 6 months thanks to the partnership alongside Science Age Society, Innoventures to create commercial registration and result in sustainable companies in Egypt,” said Wael Fakharany, Google Regional Manager, Egypt and North Africa. “We are very excited about the outcome of this competition and we have very high hopes for all the competitors. The final winners will be the recipient of the $200,000 grand prize a few months later after the final event."
The Top 20 have been mentored over the last couple of months, been through two judging rounds and attend the Start with Google crash course that offered them in depth knowledge in the entrepreneurial world and their specific sector.
Google initiated this competition to spark the effective minority of Egypt’s economy of small and medium size enterprise businesses. The company committed to contribute to Egypt’s internet ecosystem as part of a framework agreement signed with the Egyptian government back in 2009.