Manufacturing Advancement and Development in Egypt (MADE): Cohort 3 - Food Track

Innovative food security solutions by young entrepreneurs pushing forward Egypt's manufacturing sector

The Manufacturing Advancement & Development in Egypt program (MADE) is a pre-incubation and incubation program, designed to equip university students and fresh graduates with resources to transform their ideas within the manufacturing sector into marketable solutions.

MADE offers tailored content of training, mentoring, and technical support resources for the participants to prototype their ideas across three stages:

Stage 1: Ideation

A nationwide idea competition, in which  +20 teams will be selected to join and receive training and resources to facilitate rapid ideation.

Stage 2: Pre-incubation

Through the idea competition, eight teams will be selected to receive three months of training, access to workstation and comprehensive support to conceptualize and prototype the idea.

Stage 3: Incubation

Following the pre-incubation demo day, three teams will gain access to six months of dedicated mentoring, tailored training, global network and resources to develop a minimum viable product (MVP).

+20 Ideas for 1 Challenge

A nationwide call for ideas is now open to solve challenges in food security. +20 ideas will be selected to receive pitch training and join the idea competition. The challenges are identified by experts and stakeholders in Egypt’s manufacturing sector.

Sustainable food production – Develop affordable and sustainable solutions for food production and food packaging.

Download this document to learn more details about the challenge and eligibility criteria.

Who can apply?

We’re on the lookout for teams of university students and recent graduates who are

• of two to three members
• women-led or gender-balanced
• enrolled at or graduated from an Egyptian or internationally recognized university
• passionate about technical sciences, business administration, and sustainability

In order to qualify for the program’s initial phase (ideation), the teams must conceptualize an idea for a viable solution for the aforementioned water sustainability challenge that

• has innovative or disruptive characteristics that do not currently exist in the market, and
• has the potential to be prototyped, scaled up and marketed commercially, and
• can be applied within the manufacturing sector in Egypt

Ideas that are women-led and create sustainable social, economic and/or ecological impact are given priority in the selection process. 

In order to be selected for the pre-incubation phase, individuals must fulfill all the eligibility criteria listed above. They should also: 

• Legally reside in Egypt (including permission to gainful employment),
• Have an entrepreneurial mindset, and
• Be available to commit to developing and commercializing their solution

Download this document for more details about the criteria and competition challenges.

You can also register here for MADE’s info session, happening online on 16 February 2023 at 7:00 PM (Cairo time). We will answer your questions and share all details about the program’s application process, phases and benefits.

Meet MADE's Idea Competition Winners

8 teams of young entrepreneurs started their journey of 3 months of pre-incubation, the second phase of MADE Program, in March 2023. Get to know them:

Biri, led by Ahmed Sami

Biri produces calcium chloride, hyaluronic acid, and collagen from eggshells through an eco-friendly process at low cost and high quality. This innovation can benefit the manufacturing of food supplements, natural fertilizers, dairy products, etc.  

AlProtein, led by Omar Zagloul

AlProtein produces a tasty, nutritious, cost-effective, eco-friendly protein powder through an AI-powered hybrid-production platform that integrates floating plants and microalgae using local organic nutrients. The next-generation platform is scalable to multiple sites and integrates AI and IoT systems, enhancing productivity. AlProtein’s complete water-integrated system can retain up to 85% of water, reducing costs and resource usage while promoting sustainability. The platform offers an efficient alternative to traditional protein production methods and can potentially transform the protein production industry in Egypt.

Bees-Out, led by Mariam Salem

Beeswax wraps are antimicrobial, minimizing the risk of infection and food waste. Made from natural, renewable material, Beeswax food wrapping directly addresses the challenge of developing sustainable and affordable food packaging solutions. Farmers, food processors, and retailers can reduce their environmental footprint in production and packaging operations by using beeswax food wraps, contributing to the decarbonization of supply chains and low-carbon production.

Valley Dates, led by Menna Ghanem

From the heart of the New Valley Governorate, Team Valley Dates converts less marketed dates into high-quality food-integrated products to enhance the added value of these dates. The governorate houses a crop of over 250,000 palm trees of the targeted kind of dates. With their solution, the team contributes to the food gap by producing more than 20 health products, benefiting a wide range of social segments.

RFR, led by Ahmed Abolmagd

RFR recycles agricultural residues into 100% local Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) approved by the Egyptian Drug Authority according to US Pharmacopeia, meets European Standards, and is a more affordable alternative to imported products.  

Papero, led by Marwa Mohamed Hussein

Papero produces paper bags from recycled rice straws to reduce the environmental damage caused by using plastic bags.

Handfarmer, led by Ahmed Sherif

Handfarmer is an IoT system giving farmers insights into the types and quantity of fertilizers relative to their crops, thereby increasing the amount and quality of the produce. The team also provides the farmers with their solution, an integrated online market for selling crops and increasing their profitability.

Zadio, led by Khaled Ali

Zadio aims to develop an innovative product for agricultural and poultry use –  producing biologicals based on microorganisms and enzymes. These products increasingly find applications as biopesticides, biofertilizers, and biostimulants, helping eliminate chemical fertilizers usage.