Description
The Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) at the American University in Cairo (AUC) School of Business in collaboration with Afretec Network Universities would like to present a groundbreaking competition entitled ‘ICT for Circularity (ICTfC)’. The competition invites students from Afretec network universities all over Africa to use advanced technology (ICT) to help businesses and public institutions use resources wisely. This means reducing waste, extending product lifetimes, and promoting ethical and sustainable practices for the benefit of both society and the environment.
The competition themes will require the students to work with the latest technologies like Big Data, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) to create practical solutions in their chosen area.
The Partners
AUC Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation: The American University in Cairo's School of Business kickstarted the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (EIP) in 2010, a pioneering initiative in the MENA region. EIP played a vital role in spotlighting entrepreneurship's impact on economic development, contributing significantly to Egypt's entrepreneurial ecosystem. By fostering ideation and innovation, EIP supported startups across various stages, linking them with accelerators, incubators, and investors. In 2015, aligning with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, EIP evolved into the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI). This transformation expanded its focus to include critical themes such as gender, climate, and sustainability. Over time, entrepreneurship and innovation became central concepts for achieving key objectives like financial sustainability, employment, and gender equality. CEI's evolution demonstrates that fostering entrepreneurship and innovation as a mindset can contribute to community development. Today, CEI stands as a respected brand in the ecosystem, serving as a go-to reference for stakeholders engaging with youth, women, startups, MSMEs, and underserved communities.
African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec) The African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec) is a pan-African collaboration of technology-focused universities from across the African continent. The creation of Afretec is a defining moment for the digital transformation of Africa. The network will build a strong knowledge creation and educational infrastructure on the continent. It will also provide a platform for its members to engage in deep collaboration that drives inclusive digital growth in Africa. The purpose of Afretec is to create a platform for technology-focused universities in Africa to drive inclusive digital growth by collaborating on teaching and learning, knowledge creation, and entrepreneurship activities within the area of engineering and technology.
Key Focus Tracks:
Environment Track:
Regenerative agriculture and sustainable food production -
Access to reliable, green, and affordable energy sources -
Ensuring clean water and proper sanitation -
Utilizing water energy -
Food nexus applications and technologies
General Track:
This track includes any other ideas that are related to the main competition theme, but does not fit perfectly in any of the first 3 tracks.
Social Track
Enhancing supply chain management with added value
Implementing sustainable waste management practices
Considering population and resource dynamics
Evaluating the impact of developmental projects on communities
Exploring other social impact avenues
Economic Track
Designing eco-friendly products through eco-design
Exploring shared economy models
Exploring other economic innovations
Objective & Rationale
The goal is to positively impact the planetary boundaries (PBs), considering factors like climate change, biodiversity, and more. The nine planetary boundaries are:
Climate Change: Measures carbon dioxide concentration impacting global temperatures.
Biodiversity Loss: Focuses on species extinction, vital for ecosystem health.
Biogeochemical Flows: Tracks nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, critical for ecosystems.
Ocean Acidification: 5-Absorption of excess carbon dioxide makes oceans more acidic, affecting marine life.
Land-System Change: Concerns land conversion for human use, impacting habitats and biodiversity.
Freshwater Use: Addresses consumption impacting rivers, lakes, and aquifers, affecting ecosystems and communities.
Atmospheric Aerosol Loading: Involves microscopic particles affecting climate and organisms.
Stratospheric Ozone Depletion: Protects the ozone layer, crucial for filtering harmful UV radiation.
Novel Entities: Involves chemicals, new materials, and organisms with potential irreversible effects on Earth's systems, including pollutants like plastics and genetically modified organisms.
Therefore, the students are encouraged to create prototypes and proof of concept for products, services, and systems that address critical issues in pollution, ecosystem degradation, social injustice, and climate change impacts.
Rubric Items
You will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
Innovation and Originality: How unique and creative is your solution in addressing planetary boundaries?
Relevance to Planetary Boundaries: Does your prototype clearly connect to at least one of the nine planetary boundaries? Show that you understand the boundary and how your solution helps conserve it.
Scalability: Can your idea grow to have a significant impact on planetary boundaries, whether at a local, regional, or global level?
Economic Viability: How economically feasible is your prototype? Consider costs, market potential, and the likelihood of financial sustainability or profitability.
Environmental Impact Assessment: Did you analyze the environmental impact of your prototype thoroughly? This includes resource use and end-of-life disposal.
Interdisciplinary Integration Approach:How well did you combine ideas from different fields (biology, engineering, economics, etc.) to tackle the complexities of planetary boundaries?
Relevance to Community Challenges: Did you think about the ethical aspects, including fairness in resource distribution, labor practices, and community impact in the region?
Team Formation & Eligibility Criteria
Teams consist of 3-5 undergraduate and graduate students.
Teams are encouraged to have at least 1 graduate member within the team.
Team members should be students enrolled in a university from Africa.
Students in the same team should be from the same university.
Teams are encouraged to seek a faculty mentor.
Teams preferably recruit diverse backgrounds (Engineering, Business, Environmental Sciences, Public Policy...etc.).
Teams are encouraged to be gender diverse and inclusive.
After the teams are formed
It's crucial to submit applications within the designated timeframe to be considered.
Interested groups should diligently complete the application form, ensuring they meet all eligibility criteria, such as age, background, and educational levels.
Teams should upload an idea brief statement that shows how their diversity will contribute to their success in the competition
Prize
The total prize for all teams is $4000
Timeline
Online Application Deadline: 3rd of February
First Filtration Result Announcement: 5th of February: Desk Review Round 1 - Criteria - Choosing the best teams based on scores from all countries
Online General Training: 12th of February: Training for Pitching Competition + Technical Mentorship/prototype building/ communication and presentation skills + Online Mentor Meetings per team.
Submission Of Revised Problem Statement: 17th of February
Second Filtration Result Announcement: 18th of February
Specialized Training: 20th of February: The specialized sessions will be dedicated to technically support the teams in their own area of interest, the mentorship sessions will be one on one sessions to help students achieve proof of concept or prototype.
Initial Pitch Deck Submission: 25th of February
Mentorship Sessions: 1st of March - 5th of March
Final Pitching Day: 10th of March
Find application form here