Schneider Electric Egypt announces winners in Energy Challenge 2019

24 / 09 / 2019

By Marwa Nassar - -

Schneider Electric, the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, announced the winners of its Energy Challenge 2019 which was held of the first time in Egypt.

Eleven competitors were vying in the final stage of the contest which pursues innovative ideas to solve one of the six real-life case challenges in the fields of smart buildings and homes, smart energy, smart water, smart public services, smart mobility and smart industries.

The event, organized in partnership with Ministry of Investment, Falak Startups, and Enara Ventures, is focused on fast-tracking innovation by providing innovators with the technical resources they need as well as access to experts and communities to launch successful ventures, all with direct support from Schneider Electric.

Proteinea team won the first position for its innovative idea to breed insects to supersede fish farms powdered feed by animal protein which is eco-friendly and more sustainable.

Devision X team copped the second position for its innovative idea to build a quality check-up system and amalgamate it in the fourth industrial revolution, thus helping institutions to do their work under a very accurate digital system which is low-cost and time-saving.

Influx team came in the third position for its project on doubling the amount of generated solar energy via vertical installation of cylindrical solar panels.

The winners signed a cooperation protocol with Fekretak Sherketak, Falak Startups and Schneider Electric Egypt to launch an energy challenge initiative nationwide to encourage more innovative solutions to support energy management, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and entrepreneurship.

Walid Sheta, Schneider Electric’s Regional Cluster Head of North East Africa and Levant, said this is the first time for the Energy Challenge to be held in Egypt, noting that the company was surprised by the high number of applicants which reached 150.

He said the ideas presented were very good and the judging panel faced a difficulty to opt out eleven finalists.

The finalists were selected in accordance with certain criteria, including understanding the nature of the region’s market, the team’s ability to develop its skills and the product – or solution – it is presenting and the feasibility study of the filed project or solution, Sheta said.

The outcome of Electric Energy Challenge was announced within the framework of the Innovation Summit Cairo 2019 which is held by Schneider Electric for the second time in Egypt. A special session was held for the 11 finalists to expound their innovative solutions which serve sustainability.

This session was attended by EMEA Business Incubation Director Sylvain Paineau, Senior Vice President of Innovation at the Edge Jean-Louis Stasi along with senior officials from Falak Startups and Fekretak Sherketak.

During the get-together, Senior Vice President of Innovation at the Edge Jean-Louis Stasi said the Egyptian youth presented bold ideas with an aim to have smarter and more sustainable management of resources.

He added that selecting only three to be the winners was hard because eight or nine ideas were really distinguished.

He added that Schneider Electric as a major energy company is well aware about the market rules and requirements so that its support for innovators will not be confined to financial awards. The company will, however, establish a link between these innovators and energy experts worldwide.

The top three winners will get financial awards ranging between EGP 40,000 and 100,000 in addition to a chance to attend training at Schneider Electric Egypt.

In July, Schneider Electric announced the shortlisted eleven competitors and organized a training session for them on means of presenting their ideas and developing them to be more effective when put into effect.

Schneider Electric Ventures is a firm that was created to empower innovation. It invests in incubation projects, partnerships with entrepreneurs, and specialized funds in the coming years. The company uses its technology, expertise, and global reach to help start-ups make their vision a reality. The initiative is meant to identify, support and nurture companies and entrepreneurs whose innovations will transform the way people live and work, how people produce and consume energy, and how people run buildings and factories.