• Egypt's Athar Accelerator, in partnership with Plan International Egypt through the Ready for Tomorrow programme, concluded the Cairo AI Hackathon, a three-day innovation sprint held in Cairo from 18 - 20 December 2025.
• The hackathon brought together 150+ young entrepreneurs and 50 early-stage teams to build AI-powered solutions addressing real challenges across multiple sectors, with a total prize pool of EGP 1.3 million awarded to 15 winning teams.
• Participants received hands-on support through 20 specialised mentors in AI, product development, and entrepreneurship, alongside practical workshops and structured feedback loops.

Press release:

Athar Accelerator, in partnership with Plan International Egypt through the Ready for Tomorrow project, announced the successful conclusion of the Cairo AI Hackathon—a three-day innovation sprint that brought together 150+ young entrepreneurs and 50 early-stage teams to build AI-powered solutions addressing real challenges across key sectors.

Hosted in Hilton Ramses, Cairo, from 18 to 20 December 2025, the hackathon provided hands-on support for founders to move from ideas to tested prototypes, validate assumptions, and strengthen the technical and business foundations needed to scale. A total prize pool of EGP 1,300,000 was awarded across 15 winning teams, alongside expert mentorship and practical workshops delivered by 20 mentors specialised in AI, product development, and entrepreneurship.

“At Plan International Egypt, we believe youth—especially young women—are not just beneficiaries of development; they are leaders of change,” said Sheren Ezzat, Senior Country Expert, Plan International Egypt. “Through Ready for Tomorrow, we invest in skills, confidence, and real pathways to opportunity. The Cairo AI Hackathon is a powerful example of youth empowerment in action—turning potential into practical solutions and giving young innovators the support they need to shape their futures.”

The Cairo AI Hackathon focused on helping participating teams build solutions that are feasible, responsible, and grounded in real market needs. During the programme, teams worked on product scoping, data and model choices, user testing, and go-to-market thinking—supported by intensive mentorship and feedback loops.

“AI is no longer a future concept—it’s already reshaping how products are built and how economies compete,” said Shoaib Elqady, CEO of Athar Accelerator. “Egypt has exceptional talent, and our role is to connect that talent with the right support—technical guidance, infrastructure, and early-stage capital—to build locally relevant technology that can scale. This hackathon is about proving that Egyptian founders can build world-class AI products from here, for Egypt and beyond.”

The event reflects a growing national momentum to advance digital skills, innovation, and job creation—by enabling youth to become builders of technology, not just consumers of it.