Egypt has unveiled a global ClimaTech Run competition for start-ups and digital artists to address the most pressing climate challenges on the road to Cop27 and beyond.
The initiative is led by the Ministry of International Co-operation, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Ministry of Environment, as the Egyptian government ramps up preparations to host the UN climate change conference in Sharm El Sheikh in November.
Its partners include the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the African Export-Import Bank, the World Food Programme, Google, the UN Population Fund, General Motors, Egyptian multinational conglomerate Mansour Group, the UN Industrial Development Organisation, the UNDP Accelerator Lab and Microsoft, as well as others from the entrepreneurial community.
Start-up finalists will have the chance to pitch their ideas at Cop27 and win monetary prizes of up to $100,000 on offer. They will also participate in a mentorship and capacity-building programme.
The winning digital artists will win up to $5,000 and have their work showcased at Cop27.
“This event sends a powerful message that through innovation and start-ups, we can better our environment and our lives for ourselves and for the future generations as well,” said Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, at the ClimaTech Run launch event in Cairo on Monday.
“This ecosystem that we are trying to forge that is conducive to intellect and innovation — the new way of thinking out of the box — is definitely the way forward,” he said.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and other government figures have emphasised in recent months that Cop27 would be the “Cop for action”, moving from commitments to implementation. They have also stressed the importance of engaging young people.
“There has been so much interest in partnering to see a Cop which is different,” said Rania Al Mashat, Minister of International Co-operation, at the event on Monday.
“That is why we wanted to make sure that the youth from all over the world are able to actually connect.”
It is the start-ups and the entrepreneurs that can bring climate innovation and technology to the forefront.
Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad
Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad said it was the “power of youth” that would materialise ambitions and result in action on the ground.
“It is the start-ups and the entrepreneurs that can bring climate innovation and technology to the forefront,” Ms Fouad said.
Nicole Shampaine, charge d’affaires of the US embassy in Cairo, echoed the importance of supporting start-ups and entrepreneurs to “address the world’s most pressing challenges”.
The US government has provided more than $30 billion in assistance to Egypt and, over the past decade, has supported more than 10,000 Egyptian start-ups through USAID.
ClimaTech is part of USAID’s Business Egypt programme worth about $35 million.
The USAID-funded Youth Entrepreneurs Network will also assist in running the competition’s online platform, which will become a “permanent virtual space to share climate solutions”, Ms Shampaine said.
Applications open
ClimaTech applications are open on the website at https://climatechrun.com until September 22.
Ten shortlisted climate technology start-ups will be announced on October 5 and invited to pitch at Cop27 during Youth Day on November 10.
The eligibility criteria include being a registered start-up operating for more than two years or one with a proven track record, having a team with at least two members and an average age of below 40, and being a sustainably driven business that is supported by at least one emerging technology.
Examples of emerging technology are artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, e-waste management and information and communications technology applications in green and renewable energy.
With the slogan “Outrun Climate Change via Technology”, ClimaTech invites start-ups seeking to make a difference in the areas of energy, food security and agriculture, water management, industry, urban sustainability, mobility and transport.
The grand prize is $100,000 while second prize is $50,000 and third is $25,000.
There is also a separate special prize that will be given to African start-ups. The top five African start-ups will be invited to pitch their ideas during the global event. First prize is $50,000 and second prize is $25,000.
Additional ClimaTech partners include AfriLabs, a pan-African network of more than 300 innovation centres; the International Association for the Advancement of Innovative Approaches to Global Challenges, an Austria-based UN-accredited civil society organisation; and Falak Startups, a seed-stage accelerator powered by the Egyptian Ministry of International Co-operation.
“We want to see which projects can actually be scaled,” Ms Al Mashat said. “ClimaTech 2022 does not end in November 2022. On the contrary, it just begins.”
ClimaTech is also calling for artists and visual storytellers “who can inspire hope around climate action and express the link between us and our planet”.
Judges will evaluate digital art pieces and public voting will take place from September 25 to October 5 to select the three best artistic expressions from the shortlist.
First place will be awarded $5,000, second place $3,000 and third place $2,000.
How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
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• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Dubai World Cup prize money
Group 1 (Purebred Arabian) 2000m Dubai Kahayla Classic - $750,000
Group 2 1,600m(Dirt) Godolphin Mile - $750,000
Group 2 3,200m (Turf) Dubai Gold Cup – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Turf) Al Quoz Sprint – $1,000,000
Group 2 1,900m(Dirt) UAE Derby – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Dirt) Dubai Golden Shaheen – $1,500,000
Group 1 1,800m (Turf) Dubai Turf – $4,000,000
Group 1 2,410m (Turf) Dubai Sheema Classic – $5,000,000
Group 1 2,000m (Dirt) Dubai World Cup– $12,000,000
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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- In 1999, she became the first female chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes 58-10 Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers 5-39 Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons 16-56 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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MATCH INFO
Chelsea 3 (Abraham 11', 17', 74')
Luton Town 1 (Clark 30')
Man of the match Abraham (Chelsea)
RESULT
Deportivo La Coruna 2 Barcelona 4
Deportivo: Perez (39'), Colak (63')
Barcelona: Coutinho (6'), Messi (37', 81', 84')
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Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Oscars in the UAE
The 90th Academy Awards will be aired in the UAE from 3.30am on Monday, March 5 on OSN, with the ceremony starting at 5am