Everything You Need to Know About Egypt's Entrepreneur Awards

Young Entrepreneur of the YearThe Award: For entrepreneurs whose use of emerging healthtech significantly improves the public’s health, innovation in medicine production, efficiencies in biotech processes and supports the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals on Good Health.Transportation & LogisticsIt’s official. Nominations for the debut edition of Egypt’s Entrepreneur Awards are now open as we count the days to what promises to be one of the most critical moments for Egypt’s business and entrepreneurship landscapes - and you can have your say at www.EEAwards.org.

Taking place on May 22nd at the foot of the Pyramids - at Kundalini Grand Pyramids, to be exact - EEA is set to bring together the country's business luminaries and captains of industry to celebrate and spotlight the latest generation of innovators and boundary-pushers - a long overdue move when you consider the incredible amount of talent that emerges year on year from all corners.

Led by Amr Mansi, founder of I-Events and himself a serial entrepreneur, the initiative has the backing of some of the most influential and impactful figures in the ecosystem, men and women who make up an esteemed advisory board, and tens more who will bring their own experience and acumen to juries across 24 award categories.

As media partners, StartupScene has front-row seats to what promises to be a critical moment for the entrepreneurial and business landscapes, one that also aims to bring the ecosystem closer together by providing a space for recognition, exposure and networking.

Here’s everything you need to know…

WHAT IS EEA LOOKING FOR?

As a nation of over 100 million, Egypt is a land full of opportunities, challenges and talent - a combination that has always bred innovation. While we often speak of the ‘ecosystem’ as a recent phenomena, entrepreneurship has driven Egypt’s economy and standing as one of the most desirable and dynamic markets in the MENA region for decades.

It’s the men and women behind this continuous evolution and development that are the centre of EEA, the trailblazers that continue to shape Egypt’s present and its future with little or no recognition. Nominees must be:

-Innovative risk-takers and changemakers who, through their entrepreneurial efforts, have made a lasting impact on society through a specific industry.

-Either the owner or a member of top management of a company that has been operating for less than 15 years and was established in Egypt.

HOW WILL THE NOMINEES BE ASSESSED?

-The EEA jury panels will focus on assessing universal entrepreneurial skills, including but limited to leadership, resilience, brand image, vision, growth, impact, market knowledge, innovation and strategy.

-Each award will be judged by a panel of relevant industry experts, experienced business figures and leaders from academia, who will select the winners based on a standard rubric as well as their additional industry expertise.

WHO CAN NOMINATE?

-EEA will receive nominations from board and  jury members, sponsors and ecosystem partners, and the EEA team.

-The public can also have their say and nominate entrepreneurs via  www.EEAwards.org.

WHO ARE THE ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS?

With decades of combined experience, the EEA advisory board is made up of entrepreneurs, investors and leaders, each bringing their own perspective and vision to the initiative.-Ahmed El Sewedy
-President & CEO, Elsewedy Electric S.A.E.
-Ahmed Habib - President & CEO, Harvest Holdings
-Aladdin Saba - Founding Partner, BPE Partners
-Dina El Mofty - Founder, Injaz Egypt
-Hussein Rifai - Co-founder & Executive Chairman, INERTIA Holding
-Neveen El Tahri - Chairperson, Delta Shield For Investment
-Onsi Sawiris - Co-founder & Managing Partner, HOF Capital
-Thuraya Ismail -  Executive Director, Mentor Arabia
-Wael Fakharany - CEO, Omnix International

THE AWARDS

Architecture & Interior Design

The Award: For designers and innovators who have taken their passion and craft and transformed it into a successful business in the fields of architectural design, interior design, furniture design and/or product design.

The Jury

-Amr Helmy (Amr Helmy Designs)
-Dina El Khachab (Eklego Design Ltd)
-Karim Mekhtigian (Alchemy)-Moha Hussein (MHDH)
-Tarek Naga (Naga Studio Architecture)

Best Egyptian Product

The Award: For entrepreneurs who have built home-grown consumer brands in any number of sectors, including everything from homeware, cosmetics and specialty foods, to pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics, packaged goods, and more.

The Jury

-Amr El Helaly (Modern Bakeries)
-Hisham El Khazindar (Qalaa Holdings)
-Mohamed Magdy El Araby (El Araby Group)

E-commerce

The Award: For entrepreneurs that own online retail shops, platforms, suppliers, brands or any company that trades online and provides seamless consumer experiences aided by digital technology.

The Jury

-Ayman Rashed (Otlob/IT Blocks)
-Dina Gobran (OLX Egypt)
-Walid Hassouna (EFG Finance Holding)

Fashion - Apparel and Accessories Design

The Award: For local designers whose creative clothing and/or accessory brands have broken barriers in the regional and even global fashion world.

The Jury

-Abdelmalek Shamsi (Shamsi Group)
-Marie Louis Bishara (Bishara for Fashion)
-Susan Sabet (Lina Publishing Ltd)

Fashion - Jewelry Design

The Award: For local jewelers whose designs have led the way in craftsmanship and innovative designs.

-Fatma Ghaly (Azza Fahmy Jewellery)
-Mahmoud El Sirgany (Cherif El Sirgany Joailliers)
-Philippe Katchouni (Katchouni Jewellery)

Fintech

The Award: For entrepreneurs who have a product or service that continues transforming and innovating the financial technology sector in areas such as e-payments, digital lending, personal finance, blockchain, insurtech, regtech and more.

The Jury

-Dr. Sherif Samy (Egyptian Fintech Association/CIB)
-Rasha Negm (Central Bank of Egypt)
-Sahar Salama (TPAY Mobile)

Fitness & Lifestyle

The Award: For entrepreneurs who have impacted the sports and fitness scene in Egypt by launching gyms, training facilities, performance centers, new sports, camps, sporting events, adventure activities and more – all to help the community attain better lifestyles.

The Jury

-Hazem Emam (Former Professional Footballer)
-Karim Darwish (Wagi Degla Clubs Company S.A.E)
-Omar Samra (Wild Guanabana)

Food & Beverage – Fast Casual // Fine Dining

The Award: ‘Fast Casual’ - For entrepreneurs who strive to provide unique F&B offerings with fast casual brands, which include but are not limited to fast food restaurants, food trucks, coffee shops, specialty shops and more.

The Award: ‘Fine Dining’ - For entrepreneurs who have utilised their culinary and business acumen to open restaurants with elevated dining experience that offer the highest quality of food, service and atmosphere while raising the overall standard of the food and hospitality industry in Egypt.

The Jury

-Amgad El Mofty (Americana)
-Frank Heinen (Food Concepts 101 - Franck & Co.)
-Jalal Abu-Gazaleh (Gourmet Egypt)
-Johnny Zahra (Le Pacha 1901)

Lifetime Achievement (Presented by Endeavor)

The Award: For entrepreneurs who after building their own successful companies, go above and beyond to invest in and support other entrepreneurs, thus creating further value in the ecosystem.

This award will be judged by Endeavor’s Advisory Board.

Media & Advertising – Creative Entrepreneur of the Year // Branding // Creative & Content

The Award: ‘Creative Entrepreneur of the Year’ - For entrepreneurs who lead the most successful all-around media company based on the services offered, growth and originality of the campaigns, and overall client feedback.

The Award: ‘Branding’ - For entrepreneurs who design powerful brands or campaigns that drive brand awareness, brand engagement, and tremendous market buzz.

The Award: ‘Creative & Content’ - For entrepreneurs who produce or manage the direct production of creative content to be used in online ads, integrated campaigns, display advertising, or forms of print, tv, and digital distribution.

The Jury

-Amy Mowafi (MO4 Network)
-Ihab Gohar (MediaHub MENA)
-Moataz Kotb (CultArk)
-Mohamed Abo El Fotouh (PepsiCo)
-Mohamed Fathy ‘Shank’ (Filmmaker & Creative Director)
-Naila Fattouh (IMPACT BBDO)
-Nihal Abdelaziz (Magna Global Egypt)
-Yasmine Shihata (Enigma Magazine)

Next Generation Family Intrapreneur of the Year

The Award: For 2nd or 3rd generation entrepreneurs transforming and leading their long-standing family business.

This award will be judged by the EEA Advisory Board.

Real Estate

The Award: For entrepreneurs who provide valuable experiences for their customers within the real estate industry, particularly in brokerage, property management and property financing, as well as those using proptech to improve how people buy, sell and rent properties.

The Jury

-Ahmed Shalaby (Tatweer Misr)
-Bazil Ramzy (Marakez)
-Nabil El Gohary (GoCom Investments)

Social Entrepreneurship

The Award: For entrepreneurs leading a social enterprise that is focused on addressing a major social and/or economic issue in the region, while driving positive change in the community.

The Jury

-Dr. Hossam Badrawi (Badrawi Foundation for Education & Development)
-Iman Bibars (Ashoka)
-Reem El Saady (EBRD)

Tourism & Culture

The Award: For entrepreneurs who help drive tourism to Egypt by using technology, creative content, boutique-style accommodation and/or unique travel packages, as well as entrepreneurs who showcase Egypt's heritage by offering significant contribution to the local arts and culture scene.

The Jury

-Amr Badr (Abercrombie & Kent Egypt S.A.E.)
-Dimitrios Zarikos (Four Seasons)
-Karim El Minabawy (Emeco Group)

Transportation & Logistics

The Award: For entrepreneurs who implement new and evolving business models to digitally transform the movement of resources or the management of said movement with more safety, coordination and planning.

The Jury

-Mohamed Abou Ghaly (Abou Ghaly Motors)
-Mohammed Shaheen (FedEx Egypt)
-Tino Waked (Uber)

UN SGDs – Education

The Award: For entrepreneurs who have contributed to the transformation of education through edtech, by creating more data-driven products that enrich the lives of Egyptians and support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals on Quality Education.

The Jury

-Christine Safwat (Educate Me Foundation)
-Dr. Maha El Shinnawy (American University in Cairo)
-Mohamed El Kalla (Cairo for Investment and Real Estate Development)

UN SGDs - Healthcare

The Award: For entrepreneurs whose use of emerging healthtech significantly improves the public’s health, innovation in medicine production, efficiencies in biotech processes and supports the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals on Good Health.

The Jury

-Dr. Fahad Khater (Alameda Healthcare)
-Dr. Hend El Sherbini (Integrated Diagnostics Holdings)
-Riad Armanious (EVA Pharma)

UN SGDs - Environmental Sustainability

The Award: For entrepreneurs whose technology improves sustainability and/or lowers carbon emissions in support of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals on Affordable and Clean Energy, Responsible Consumption & Production or Sustainable Cities.

The Jury

-Dr. Abdelhamid Beshara (MASADER)
-Pakinam Kafafi (TAQA Arabia)
-Sherife AbdelMessih (Future Energy Corporation)

Young Entrepreneur of the Year

The Award: For young entrepreneurs who launched their company less than five years ago, are less than 35 years of age and have implemented new technologies to solve old problems.

This award will be judged by the EEA Advisory Board.

The Egypt's Entrepreneur Awards ceremony will take place on May 22nd. Head to www.EEAwards.org for more.