Shell Egypt honours young innovators, supporting over 1,000 entrepreneurs
Shell Egypt, in collaboration with Flat6Labs Egypt, celebrated the achievements of young Egyptian entrepreneurs at the Intilaaqah Annual Awards Ceremony on 29 May 2024, marking the conclusion of a programme cycle that supported over 1,000 aspiring innovators.
The Shell Intilaaqah Egypt Programme, which operated in three Egyptian governorates, empowered 120 teams with essential training and recognised six standout start-ups for their innovative ideas. Throughout this cycle, the programme provided hands-on entrepreneurial training, ideation sessions, and business development support to youth from diverse regions. More than 120 start-up teams benefited from intensive mentorship and capacity-building initiatives, including bootcamps, incubation activities, and matchmaking sessions, which assisted them in refining their business ideas, strengthening their operations, and preparing for investment.
Dalia Elgabry, Vice President and Country Chair, Shell Egypt, commented on the programme's impact: 'We are incredibly proud of the tangible impact that Shell Intilaaqah Egypt Programme has achieved this year. At Shell, powering lives means providing energy, while creating opportunities for people to thrive. Our global strategy, Powering Progress, is built on driving sustainable development, supporting local communities, and accelerating human potentials. By nurturing Egypt's young entrepreneurs, we are investing in the country's long-term economic resilience, innovation ecosystem, and inclusive growth. Through this programme, we continue to deliver on our commitment to fostering meaningful opportunities for young people and communities across Egypt.'
The programme commenced with a series of bootcamps held in Cairo, Alexandria, and Beheira, complemented by an online bootcamp to enhance accessibility. Participants engaged in intensive sessions focused on developing an entrepreneurial mindset, understanding customer needs through empathy mapping, crafting compelling value propositions, and building robust business models.
Following the bootcamps, the Shell Intilaaqah Egypt Programme introduced two dedicated tracks in March 2025: the Best Idea Programme, focused on nurturing early-stage concepts, and the Best Startup Programme, designed to support growth-stage start-ups in enhancing investment readiness and scaling operations. Both tracks concluded with competitive judging days, where six teams were awarded financial prizes to accelerate their business development and growth.
The winners of the Best Idea Programme were:
Fast octopus BananaMed Gremrem
The winners of the Best Startup Programme were:
Oz Tech Bekya Pay Croptimus
Hany Al Sonbaty, Chairman and Co-Founder of Flat6Labs, remarked: 'The energy, creativity, and determination we witnessed throughout this programme are truly remarkable. Together with Shell Egypt, we have helped build a pipeline of promising young businesses ready to tackle real-world challenges and drive sustainable economic growth in Egypt. It lies at the core of what drives Flat6Labs, in Egypt and abroad, to maintain its commitment to nurturing and scaling the big ideas of tomorrow.'
Through initiatives such as the Shell Intilaaqah Egypt Programme, Shell Egypt aims to align with Egypt's Vision 2030 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by investing in youth, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The company's broader Social Investment portfolio, developed in collaboration with national and international partners, underscores its commitment to creating a lasting positive impact across the country.
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