CAIRO: Google announced a new competition called ‘Ebda2 with Google' (the phonetic spelling for the Arabic word ‘Start') late September. Google hopes to find and award Egypt's most talented entrepreneurs with 200,000 dollars in seed capital “to bring their winning business ideas to the market.” According to the press statement released by Google, the concept of Ebda2 is to “Inspire entrepreneurs to start their own businesses and become contributors to the society at large using technology as a catalyst for growth and economic prosperity.” The project will last 8 months, allowing the entrepreneurs to go through a process of screening and selection based n a specific set f criteria laid out by a panel of expert independent judges from a wide range of businesses. On top of this, they will also receive mentoring from professionals in the industry as well as executives and established entrepreneurs. “Google is passionate about growing internet ecosystem in Egypt,” the Country Manager for Google North Africa, Wael Fakharany, said in a press statement. “The aim of Ebda2 with Google is to inspire Egyptians to start their own technology ventures and have a series of working models online which directly benefit the Egyptian economy,” he added. The Science Age Society (SAS) is responsible for the execution of the program, along with a local tech incubator known as Innoventures. SAS is a local Non-Government Organization. Both companies have embarked on a journey through 10 Egyptian cities to recruit applicants. “Ebda2 with Google” could not have come at a better time, the impact will be felt nationwide and will provide hope to many Egyptians seeking to fulfill their dreams,” said Mohamed Aboud, Business Development Consultant at SAS. The top 200 applicants will be announced in November. Once announced they will be put through workshops on entrepreneurship and innovation from experts around the globe. The top 20 finalists will compete to win the main prize, which will be awarded in May 2012. Fakharany told Bikyamasr.com he hopes the competition “will inspire Egyptians to start their own businesses and create a new generation of entrepreneurs to build the new Egypt using technology and innovation as a catalyst for change.” Google has signed a deal with the Egyptian government in 2009, committing them to contribute in the growth of the “internet ecosystem,” Fakharany concluded. BM
