A S U

Under the patronage of Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of Ain Shams University; Prof. Amany Osama Kamel, Vice President for Postgraduate Studies and Research; Prof. Rami Maher Ghali, Vice President for Education and Student Affairs; Prof. Youmna Safwat, Dean of the Faculty of Al-Alsun at Ain Shams University; and Prof. Hala Sayed Metwally, Vice Dean for Education and Student Affairs, the Faculty's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support Unit, under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Islam Adly, Director of the University's Innovation Clubs (iClub) Project, and Ms. Heidi Khaled, Acting Director of the Unit, has announced the opening of applications for the sixth edition of the “Alsunian Innovate” Competition.

The competition aims to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among the faculty’s students and researchers, encouraging them to transform their creative ideas and visions into practical solutions and viable projects that contribute to developing products and services and generating a positive impact on the market and society.

The competition reflects the Faculty of Al-Alsun's commitment to fostering an innovation-driven environment and providing individuals with promising ideas and projects with opportunities to develop their potential through diverse tracks accommodating different stages of project development, from initial concepts to prototypes and startups.

The competition accepts applications through two main tracks. The first is dedicated to undergraduate students pursuing their bachelor's degrees at the Faculty of Al-Alsun, Ain Shams University, while the second is open to postgraduate students, researchers, teaching assistants, and faculty staff.

Participants may enter individually by submitting their own projects or collectively as part of a team, provided that a designated team representative is responsible for submitting the project and communicating with the organizing committee.

Eligible projects fall into three categories. The first category, Ideas, targets individuals proposing solutions to real-world problems, introducing innovative approaches, or improving existing products and services. Applicants must explain how their ideas can be transformed into feasible projects.

The second category, Prototypes, targets projects that have reached the stage of developing a working prototype demonstrating the proposed solution and its operational mechanism. This category also includes Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) that can be implemented and tested.

The third category, Startups, targets projects that have progressed beyond the idea and prototype stages and have already begun developing products, services, or business models with potential for growth and expansion.

The competition welcomes innovative projects across several fields, including agricultural innovation, the future of education, healthy communities, creative marketing, technology development, and water sustainability. An additional category is available for innovative projects belonging to other disciplines and fields.

Projects will be evaluated according to several criteria, primarily the identification of a genuine problem or need within the market or society, the quality of the proposed solution and its added value, the clarity of implementation mechanisms and practical steps, and the project's suitability for its target audience and their needs. Other criteria include the expected impact and the project's potential for continuity, sustainability, and further development.

The competition organizers emphasized that participating ideas do not necessarily have to be entirely new or unprecedented. Applicants may submit existing ideas, provided they introduce meaningful improvements, address problems that have not been adequately resolved, or propose more efficient and effective implementation mechanisms that deliver added value.

The competition offers participants a comprehensive experience combining evaluation, training, and development. Participants will receive constructive feedback and assessments from specialists and experts to help refine their ideas and projects. They will also have opportunities to attend specialized preparatory workshops, establish professional networks with experts, specialists, and fellow participants, exchange experiences, and collaborate within diverse teams.

Additional opportunities include preparing participating teams through an innovation training camp at the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at Ain Shams University during the mid-year vacation, followed by project presentations before a specialized judging panel.

Winning teams will have the opportunity to showcase their ideas and projects within the Innovation Track of the University's Conference. They will also qualify to participate in the “Ain Shams Innovates” Competition, opening broader opportunities to develop their projects and benefit from the University's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

The application process requires applicants to provide personal information, contact details, academic information, and academic status, as well as details of team members in the case of group participation. Applicants must also specify the project title and field of innovation and submit a detailed description of the project, the problem it seeks to address, the proposed solution and implementation mechanism, the target audience, and the expected impact. They must also indicate the project's current stage, whether it is an idea, prototype, minimum viable product, or startup.

Applications must also include information about any previous participation in competitions or events, if applicable, as well as any prior support, funding, or incubation received. Applicants may additionally attach relevant links, files, or presentations illustrating their projects, where available.

The organizing committee has set November 20, 2026, as the registration deadline. Applications must be submitted through the designated link for each track:

Undergraduate Students Track:

https://forms.gle/a3qr9Hdk8eimfaLp6

Postgraduate Students and Researchers Track:

https://forms.gle/YYCNDpwZTYkBgvY68

The Faculty of Al-Alsun at Ain Shams University encourages its students and researchers to seize the opportunity to participate in the sixth edition of the “Al-Alsun Innovators” Competition and submit their ambitious ideas and projects. The faculty emphasizes that innovation does not necessarily begin with a groundbreaking invention, but rather with the ability to view challenges from different perspectives and develop practical solutions that create genuine value and contribute to shaping the future.