Introduction

The Innovation Competition invites students and innovators in Greater Cairo to bring their groundbreaking solutions aligning with the theme "Building for the Future: Sustainable Design for Achieving Net-Zero Real Estate," fostering creativity and sustainability in the real estate sector.

Who is eligible to join the Innovation Competition?

General: Students from public and private universities and innovators in Greater Cairo.

Age & Geographic Location: Individuals aged between 18-30, residing in Greater Cairo.

Team Composition: Teams of (2-4 participants) or individuals


Education:

1.Fields of Study: Engineering (Civil, Architectural, Environmental), Sciences, Business Administration, any other relevant field such as applied arts.

2.Degree: University undergraduate, fresh graduates, and/or master’s students or holder.

Can I apply on my own or do I need to have team members?

While individual applications are accepted, we encourage teams to join composed of (2-4 individuals) to foster collaboration and innovative synergy, aiming to promote teamwork in addressing real estate challenges. 

What are the criteria by which ideas are evaluated?

1. Cater to the real estate industry as a whole

2. Complement and align with the competition’s main theme and at least one of the sub-themes.

3. Unique and innovative solutions 

4. Have long-term positive impact and the ability and feasibility to be localized and launched. 

When will the competition take place?

The competition unfolds with applications opening from December to February, followed by the applications selection held from December to February. The online eye-opener workshop & second filtration of applicants will be chosen in February, leading into an enriching Bootcamp and Mentorship phase taking place in March, while the eagerly awaited Demo Day and Winner Announcement is set for mid-April.  

What are the stages of the competition?

I.  Applications Open: Applicants submit their innovative solutions and ideas during the application phase, which runs until mid-February. 

II. Applications Selection:  Successful applicants will be notified and selected to be moving forward to the next phase of the competition. 

III. Selection of Finalists:  Selected applicants attend an “online eye-opener workshop” to further develop their solutions and entrepreneurial skills, and by the end of the workshop they will have the chance to send a 2–3-minute video pitch for the second round of filtration. 

IV. Bootcamp & Mentorship:  Successful pitches will move on to the second round of workshops that will be presented as 4-days physical bootcamp and two online one-on-one coaching sessions to transform solutions into concrete business opportunities. This phase concludes with an internal pitch to determine the finalists who will advance to the Demo Day. 

V. Demo Day & Winner Announcement: The competition culminates with a Demo Day, where finalists present their refined solutions, and the winners are announced, marking the successful conclusion of the innovation journey. 

What is the award?

Exchange Program - Empowering Sustainability Minds:

I.Winners will be eligible for a unique exchange program, crafted in collaboration with The UN Global Compact Network Egypt. Winners will get an immersive experience like no other, Gain profound insights into sustainable technologies, engage with leading academics, explore real-world sustainability projects, and network with influential figures in the sustainability sector.

 

The Winners

THIS YEAR’S CHALLENGE (2023-2024)

Embark on a transformative journey with Tatweer Misr's 6th Innovation Competition, where smart solutions converge with sustainable practices in the Real Estate sector, aligning with the main theme for this year competition “Building for the Future: Sustainable Design for Achieving Net-Zero Real Estate.” This year, from Industry Innovation to Climate Action, we are soliciting solutions and ideas that are SUSTAINABLE fostering eco-friendly housing and planning, resilient communities, and biodiversity preservation. We seek INNOVATIVE solutions tackling issues related to infrastructure and environment and driving POSITIVE change to the environment. Whether you are part of a dynamic team or solo entrepreneur, your innovative ideas are the catalysts for positive change. The top winners will engage in a life-changing Exchange Program designed by the UN Global Compact Network Egypt, gaining insights into sustainable technologies, connecting with leading academics, exploring real-world projects, and networking with sustainability leaders. Let's collectively shape a future that is SUSTAINABLE, INNOVATIVE, and POSITIVE! Applicants are encouraged to submit solutions that transcend specific sub-themes, encompassing the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Solutions promoting sustainability in the built environment aim to address challenges and seize opportunities in our surroundings and infrastructure. This includes solutions that upgrade or innovate with construction of the buildings we live in, starting from the materials and construction techniques to reduce consumption, distribution systems that supply water and electricity.


SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Solutions associated with the design challenges of constructing buildings. This can include smart solutions to create eco-friendly housing designs that use recycled materials and promote energy conservation through passive design elements and smart technologies for waste management and sustainable transportation.


SDG 13: Climate Action

Solution to address the associated challenges and opportunities of the environment. Solutions need to combat climate change and its impacts by coming up with ideas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience to climate-related hazards such as implementing disaster management techniques that leverage advanced technologies such as AI and climate monitoring systems.


SDG 15: Life on Land:

Solutions to address the associated challenges and opportunities of the environment. Solutions under this sub-theme should include bio-diversity friendly building designs and construction practices, sustainable landscaping, and innovative ideas for urban farming initiatives. 


Ideation Stage

 

Finally, the Innovation Competition is focused on “Ideation Track”, looking for early-stage ideas that have the potential to grow and scale.  Open for creative minds among entrepreneurial enthusiasts and university students to empower visionary ideas. Throughout the program, participants will have access to capacity building and mentorship opportunities to refine their solutions and stand a chance to enter into a life-changing Exchange Program designed by the UN Global Compact Network Egypt . We invite you to join us in the 2023-2024 competition to transform ideas into future business solutions.  

Apply Here

Tatweer Misr’s constant efforts are directed into creating a community that shapes the urban space identity and sense of place. To accomplish such goals, ‘various tangible and intangible attributes related to various interactions’ should be implemented within the urban spaces of Tatweer Misr’s projects in order to ‘affect the person’s experience’.

The ‘structural relationship between a sensory environment and activity within that environment can aid in experiencing the place/community/city in a more sensory experience, that in turn creates a more “happy community/city”. This “happy community/city” will not only ease the community’s life but will also allow Tatweer Misr to exceed their community’s expectations towards their urban spaces.
Several other studies conducted on millennials have shown that a percentage of these millennials would rather lose one of their five senses than give up their phones/laptops. This strong connection between people and their gadgets portrays the huge impact of technology on humanity. Given, if people compare their phones/laptops to their five senses, technology could then be treated as one of the human being’s new additional senses; and if this is the case, another layer of means of interactions between the community and their surroundings is created using technology.

Please provide us with various design attributes that uses the senses of the human being (seeing, touching, smelling, hearing, tasting and technology) to shape more identifiable urban spaces within Tatweer Misr’s projects; that will subsequently be implemented into the developments and create a “happy community/city”.

Please make sure your design characteristics show:

  • How will this affect the user’s experience within their urban space using one or more of the five senses?
  • How feasible it is to implement within Tatweer Misr’s developments?
  • How can some, if not all, of these attributes use technology to enhance the interactions of the community with their surroundings?
  • How can it be customized to the Egyptian society?
Apply now

GRAND PRIZE

The top applicants will get the chance to enhance their solutions and pitch their ideas to Tatweer Misr and a panel of experts for the grand prize, which includes:

Capacity Building Rounds

Immerse yourself in exclusive capacity-building and mentorship sessions, refining your skills and solutions.  

Pitch & Engage with Experts & Investors

Step onto the stage and connect with a panel of seasoned experts and investors. Gain invaluable insights and potential support for your groundbreaking concept. 

International Exchange Program

The grand prize awaits – the pinnacle of your journey! The chosen few will embark on a life-changing International Exchange Program designed by UN Global Compact Network Egypt.

Competition timeline

TATWEER MISR INNOVATION COMPETITION 2023-2024

ROUND 6

Celebrating six years of triumph with the Tatweer Misr Innovation Competition, we are thrilled to unveil Round 6! For the past five years, we've started this journey, seeking out brilliant minds capable of delivering unique and innovative solutions to our challenges. Discover further details and access the challenge application links above as we enter our sixth consecutive year of fostering innovation and uncovering groundbreaking solutions.

WHAT TATWEER MISR IS SEEKING

Tatweer Misr's Innovation Competition invites creative minds to revolutionize the Real Estate sector with innovative solutions addressing sustainability, livability, and wellness. From smart city planning to biodiversity preservation, participants are urged to align their ideas with the four SDG sub-themes. Whether in teams or as solo visionaries, individuals from diverse faculties can participate, benefitting from capacity building and mentorship. The top winners earn an opportunity for an enriching Exchange Program designed by the UN Global Compact Network Egypt , immersing in sustainable technologies, academic insights, real-world projects, and networking with sustainability leaders.