AUC Celebrates the Graduation of the Inaugural Cohort of Egypt's First Film Industry Business Certificate
'This program is designed to combine world-class mentorship from both Silver Screen and SCE's strength in applied learning and professional development,' said Doaa Salem, senior director of outreach and partnerships at AUC's SCE. "We see this certificate as the first step in building a stronger, more resilient film ecosystem, and we're committed to supporting its continued growth.'
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Al Bawaba
17 hours ago
- Al Bawaba
AUC Celebrates the Graduation of the Inaugural Cohort of Egypt's First Film Industry Business Certificate
The American University in Cairo's (AUC) School of Continuing Education (SCE) announced the graduation of the first cohort of the Film Industry Business Certificate, launched this summer in partnership with the international Silver Screen Film School in Romania. The program is the first of its kind in Egypt which provides hands-on training in production, marketing, budgeting, distribution and film financing, equipping participants with the business skills needed to succeed in today's rapidly evolving film industry. Courses were taught by award-winning filmmakers and producers from Silver Screen Film School alongside AUC business experts.'The certificate bridges a long-standing gap in film education, merging creativity with the vital business skills needed to thrive in the film industry,' said Mahmoud Allam, dean of SCE. 'We're proud to introduce a program that speaks directly to the needs of aspiring filmmakers, producers, marketers and entrepreneurs across the region. This collaboration is a strong example of how SCE continues to connect education to emerging market needs.'Participants in the inaugural cohort included aspiring producers, marketers and creative entrepreneurs. They learned and received training on how to pitch projects, manage financing, navigate distribution and build personal brands using AI tools. Speaking about their experience and why did they pick this program, several graduates noted that it was unique and different because it does not focus only on the creative and artistic side, but teaches film students how to turn ideas into real Waali, filmmaker and a graduate of the program, said, 'When I heard about the certificate, I was really excited. I had studied filmmaking, but never learned the business side formally. I picked it up through experience at festivals and production houses. As filmmakers, we truly need this knowledge.'Similarly, Rehab Elghatrifi, a TV director and another graduate of the program noted, 'The organizers were incredibly supportive, and the mentors — especially in production, marketing and film distribution — exceeded my expectations. You truly brought in the best people, and they shared their knowledge so generously.'Mariam Hamdy '06, '14, co-founder of the Silver Screen Film School alongside Octavian Dăncilă, a Romanian senior film programmer noted that the program is designed not just for emerging talent, but also for anyone who didn't previously have access to this kind of specialized film education, whether they're shifting careers or reigniting a passion. Hamdy added that the program aims to fill a gap in the market and respond to a growing niche within the film industry. 'This program is designed to combine world-class mentorship from both Silver Screen and SCE's strength in applied learning and professional development,' said Doaa Salem, senior director of outreach and partnerships at AUC's SCE. "We see this certificate as the first step in building a stronger, more resilient film ecosystem, and we're committed to supporting its continued growth.'
Wamda
2 days ago
- Wamda
Hypeo Ai secures investment to simplify brand–creator collaborations
Morocco-based influencer marketing startup Hypeo Ai has secured an undisclosed investment from Renew Capital to scale its AI-powered influencer marketing platform. Founded in 2024 by Meriam Bessa, Oussama Sekkat, and Salah Eddine Mimouni, the startup helps brands and creators connect in under 15 minutes, with tools for matching, pricing, and real-time campaign tracking. The funding will support Hypeo Ai's mission to build smart infrastructure for Africa and the Middle East's influencer economy, enabling brands and creators to collaborate more efficiently. Press release Renew Capital has announced an investment in Hypeo Ai, a Morocco-based startup that is streamlining influencer marketing through artificial intelligence. Hypeo Ai helps brands and creators across Africa and the Middle East run faster, more efficient influencer campaigns by eliminating the need for manual tracking and fragmented tools. The platform connects brands with both human and AI-powered creators in under 15 minutes, offering an end-to-end campaign workflow that includes smart matching, pricing insights, and real-time performance tracking. 'Our region has no shortage of talent. What's been missing is smart infrastructure,' said Meriam Bessa, co-founder and CEO of Hypeo Ai. 'We're building tools that allow brands and creators to meet faster, match better, and work smarter with the power of AI.' The company was founded by Bessa alongside Oussama Sekkat and Salah Eddine Mimouni. 'Hypeo Ai is tackling a clear gap in how influencer marketing works in this region,' said Nihal Grii, manager of investment ecosystem development at Renew Capital. 'We see potential in their approach to simplifying the process for both brands and creators, and we're glad to support their next stage of growth.'
Al Bawaba
5 days ago
- Al Bawaba
Network International expands portfolio with Absa Bank
Network International (Network) ( a leading enabler of digital commerce in the Middle East and Africa, has been chosen by Absa Business Banking, one of Africa's leading business banks, as its digital payments technology will provide Absa Business Banking with end-to-end payment processing capabilities through a single payments platform and fully outsourced managed services uptake of Payments as a Service (PaaS) is fuelled by Africa's growing cloud adoption, which can be likened to the continent's rapid growth in smartphone ownership. According to analysts, cloud adoption in Africa is accelerating rapidly, nearing levels seen in North America and China.'This new partnership marks a significant milestone for our company in Southern Africa and opens new avenues for growth and innovation. The growing adoption in cloud technologies has perfectly primed both fintech and traditional financial institutions to turbo-charge digital innovation. Working with managed service providers allows institutions to quickly and simply deliver new products and services to an increasingly digitally savvy customer,' comments Richard Kadiaka, Regional Managing Director, Southern Africa – Processing Services, Network fleet and commercial cardsFuel card fraud is a challenge for fleet managers which can lead to substantial financial losses over time. At the same time, connected vehicle concepts, digitisation of payment channels, and a demand for self-service management of cards requires enhanced stability and innovation in this part of its efforts to enhance its offering in the fleet and commercial card space, Absa has partnered with Network International. Through this collaboration, services will include card management for fleet cards and commercial prepaid cards, transaction switching and authorisation, integration with fleet management software, direct connectivity to Absa Bank systems, card tokenisation, digital wallets, an online self-service platform and an expense management solution.'As the 'Bank of the Entrepreneur,' we are committed to delivering seamless, secure and smart payment solutions to meet our clients' specific needs,' says Banie Claasen, Managing Executive for Lending Products at Absa Business Banking. 'By combining our deep sector expertise with Network International's leading technology, we're empowering businesses with enhanced control and security, greater transparency and a frictionless payment experience. This collaboration underscores our commitment to innovation and customer-centricity.'A new dawn for African paymentsAfrican financial institutions are undergoing a seismic shift, with Africa's financial services market potentially growing to about 10 percent per annum, reaching $230 billion in revenues by 2025 according to McKinsey. The growth will include many new payment products as more organisations understand the importance of offering safe omni-channel solutions. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Network International.
