PepsiCo and Arab Youth Centre launch #HackforChange as part of COP27 strategic partnership

At COP27, PepsiCo signed a strategic partnership with the Arab Youth Centre with the aim to develop regional initiatives that empower the youth and nurture future changemakers. As a first initiative, PepsiCo and the Arab Youth Centre announced the launch of the ‘Arab Youth Hackathon #HackforChange’, a regional entrepreneurial program, funded by PepsiCo Foundation - the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo and implemented by Plug and Play Tech Center. The hackathon engages youth across the Middle East and North Africa region in an innovative challenge to create smarter solutions for solving climate challenges revolving around agriculture, circular economy, water security and renewable energy.

Formalized at the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference and launched at the COP27, the ‘Arab Youth Hackathon #HackforChange’ aims to establish an integrative relationship with the participants throughout the year until the announcement of the winners at the COP28 next year. Slated for launch early next year, applicants from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Lebanon and Jordon, will be invited for a 3-day ideation bootcamp followed by mentorship. Winners will be incubated and awarded seed capital for bringing nascent sustainability ideas to life.

The hackathon is supported by the Arab Youth Centre who will take the lead in crystalizing the problem statement and in enabling the young minds to leverage regional opportunities. Plug and Play Tech Center, the global innovation platform, will leverage their technical expertise and global network of mentors to provide entrepreneurship content that supports the participants in building their business models and will incubate the winning teams to bring their startups to life.

“COP27 is an important milestone for us, as we continue to prioritize sustainability. We are proud of all collaborative efforts to support the youth in building a better world through the Arab Youth Hackathon. The initiative aligns with our drive to pave the way for growing future leaders, and we are happy to support them in this journey. We look forward to seeing the region’s rising stars shine with their innovative ideas of initiatives that matter,” added Sadeq Jarrar, Executive Director of Arab Youth Centre.

“For us at PepsiCo, sustainability is the key driver for technological innovation. We believe that hackathons can go a long way in encouraging changemakers of the future to collaborate and come up with ideas that are not just unique, but also powerful and future-ready for a resilient tomorrow. The announcement of the ‘Arab Youth Hackathon #HackforChange’ comes at a key stop on the road to COP27 as we double down on our sustainability commitment, continuing the momentum to the COP28 and beyond. We are delighted to collaborate with our esteemed partners to launch the ideation program after the successful implementation of our accelerator program - the Greenhouse Accelerator, to ensure we address entrepreneurs at all business stages,” said Wael Ismail, Vice President for Corporate Affairs, MENA and Pakistan, PepsiCo.

“The youth are reshaping the narrative for climate change and making great progress in delivering upon the UN’s SDGs for a greener future. As part of PepsiCo’s commitment of investing in educational programs, training facilities, mentorship opportunities, and supporting entrepreneurs in achieving their maximum potential, we are elated to sponsor the Arab Youth Hackathon #HackforChange. Led by the intent to establish smarter and equitable solutions for a more sustainable future, the platform will offer a plethora of insights and opportunities for several young innovators from around the region,” commented C.D. Glin, Global Head of Philanthropy and President, PepsiCo Foundation.

The Arab Youth Hackathon program is another example of how PepsiCo is striving to create growth and shared value by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for the planet and people, especially as it celebrates one year of PepsiCo Positive (pep+), the company’s strategic end-to-end transformation framework. Throughout the years, PepsiCo has been supporting these efforts through a range of accelerator programs including the Egypt Hackathon 2030, as well as the Greenhouse Accelerator. Through these programs, PepsiCo works closely with partners to achieve locally specific sustainability goals by partnering with the youth to support innovation and entrepreneurships for a more circular economy.

More announcements related to the Arab Youth Hackathon program including selection criteria and application details will follow in the coming months.