Metaverse for Startups Competiton

Egypt University of Informatics (EUI) has launched the “Metaverse for Startups” competition under the slogan “Extended Reality for the Public Good” as part of the “Workshop on Metaverse and Artificial Intelligence,” with the collaboration and support of Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Meta, the American University in Cairo, Simplon, and Meta Academy. The competition aims to showcase and support startups that use metaverse technology and solutions in various industries that align with sustainable development goals.

The university hosted ten selected startups out of 17 applicants who applied for the competition. It introduced them to a jury of experts from Meta, EUI, AUC Venture Lab, and Significa Ventures, as well as the valuable contribution of Dr. Abdel Monem El-Sharkawy, Chair of the National Academy for Information Technology for Persons with Disabilities (NAID). The jury evaluated the startups based on their innovation, impact, scalability, and sustainability.

The “Workshop on Metaverse and Artificial Intelligence” also kicked off with the participation of a group of international and local experts, representatives of the government and private sectors, the academic community, and Egyptian startups. The workshop aims to raise awareness about modern digital technologies' importance in driving the economy, supporting digital transformation efforts, enhancing innovation, and building youth capabilities. The workshop took place from 12-14 September.

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology cooperated and participated in the workshop activities as part of its keenness to keep pace with global trends towards developing emerging technologies and their uses, such as artificial intelligence and metaverse technologies. The ministry also seeks to build a base of distinguished cadres capable of competing in the international labor market and building effective partnerships with industry in this field.

The workshop covered several topics related to the nature of metaverse technology, the economic opportunities offered by emerging technologies and their success factors, as well as the regulatory frameworks required to ensure the safe and beneficial use of these technologies, ways to manage businesses, and provide services, and how to preserve identity and personal data.

The workshop, held over three days, included several sessions to exchange experiences and knowledge about the policies and regulatory frameworks required for the metaverse in various fields, such as education, heritage, tourism, empowering people with special needs, music, and digital transformation.

The opening ceremony was attended by H.E. Dr. Reda Hegazy, Minister of Education; Eng. Ghada Labib, Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technology for Institutional Development; Mr. Kojo Boayke, Vice President for Africa; the Middle East and Turkey for Public Policy at Meta; Prof. Reem Bahgat, President of EUI. Prof. Ahmed Dallal, President of the American University in Cairo, was also keen to record his words for the opening.

The workshop included several sessions that discussed the economic, technical, political, and regulatory aspects of metaverse and AI and the best practices for building and deploying next-generation technology. The speakers included Prof. Reem Bahgat, President of EUI; Dr. Hossam Othman, advisor to the Minister of Communications and Information Technology for technology innovation, electronics industry, and training; Dr. Ahmed Tantawi, Head of the Applied Innovation Center (AIC), Dr. Abdel Moneim El-Sharkawy, Chair of the National Academy for Information Technology for Persons with Disabilities, Dr. Amani Issa, Head of Business Development at EUI, Eng. Suzan Al-Aqabawi, Advisor to the Minister for Data Governance, Eng. Ahmed Saeed, Advisor to the Minister for Economic and Statistical Affairs, and Mr. Kojo Boayke, Vice President for Africa; the Middle East and Turkey for Public Policy at Meta.

Mr. Kojo Boayke highlighted that Meta and other companies plan to co-create the metaverse, a shared virtual environment where people can interact with each other and digital content. He said that more than 3.8 billion people use Meta platforms every month and that Meta established the Metaverse Academy to accelerate the development of Metaverse technology and shape the ecosystem. He also stressed that safety and integrity are at the core of the development process.

Prof. Reem Bahgat confirmed that EUI is one of the first universities specialized in communications and digital technologies and the fields affected by them. She said that the university offers specialized programs for education to meet the labor market’s need for specialists in the latest fields of information and communications technology. She also announced that EUI hosted ten finalists for the first round of the “XR for Good Metaverse Startup 2023 Competition” on campus and that the winning startup will receive a prize of $10,000.

In his recorded message, Prof. Ahmed Dalal expressed his pleasure at participating in this event, stressing that AUC pays excellent attention to metaverse technologies. He said that they represent a radical shift in the way companies and individuals interact with each other while providing a new opportunity.