Egypt’s Climatech Run 2022 contest targets tech entrepreneurs, digital artists

23 / 08 / 2022

By Marwa Nassar - -

Egypt launched the global Climatech Run 2022 competition, which targets tech entrepreneurs and digital artists who share a collective passion for sustainability to present their work at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) – which Egypt will host in November.

Egypt engaged with partners from the private sector and entrepreneurial community, including Google and Microsoft, to launch ClimaTech Run which is a global multi-stage program for tech entrepreneurs and digital artists.

The launch ceremony was attended by Dr. Rania Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Dr. Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology , Nicole Shampaine, Chargé d’Affairs of the US Ambassador to Cairo, Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President of Afreximbank, Mr. Praveen Agrawal, Representative and Country Director of the World Food Program in Egypt, Hisham El Nazer, Country Director of Google Egypt, Frederika Meijer, Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund, Ahmed Rizk, Resident Representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.

Mashat emphasized that Egypt is open to engaging with all stakeholders for climate action, believing in the utmost potential of the private sector and entrepreneurs to hammer out innovations that tackle food security, energy and sustainable transportation.

The competition has two complementing tracks; the first track is for global tech entrepreneurs (ICT for Climate Action Track), and the second track is for digital artists (DigitalArt4Climate). ClimaTech Run will extend over a period of one month until September 22 to create a globally connected ecosystem that fuels inspiration and joy for climate action through worldwide live events and webinars.

There will be 10 shortlisted candidates, a special grand prize of $ 100,000 and a top African startup prize of $ 50,000. The application closes on September 22, and ten startups will be shortlisted for the pitching event during COP27.

A public vote will also occur in the second half of September to select the shortlisted digital art candidates for the best artistic expression of climate action.