Overview

About the Program

The Egypt Cities Hackathon (ECH) is icealex's flagship hackathon — a multi-city event that invites entrepreneurs, engineers, designers, and community leaders to tackle pressing urban challenges facing Egypt's cities.

Running across two parallel streams — Delta Cities and Upper Egypt Cities — ECH ensures that innovation reaches beyond Alexandria and Cairo to cities that have historically been underserved by startup ecosystems.

Top teams from each stream receive mentorship, cash prizes, and a fast-track pathway into icealex's incubation programme to build their ideas into real ventures.

What you get

Program Benefits

🏆

Cash Prizes

Top 3 teams

🚀

Incubation Fast-Track

Direct pathway

🧑‍🏫

Expert Mentors

Industry leaders

🤝

Partner Network

Corporate sponsors

🏙️

Multi-City Reach

Delta & Upper Egypt

🎖️

Certificates

Verified credentials

Highlights

Program Highlights

✓ Two streams: Delta Cities & Upper Egypt Cities

✓ Open to all disciplines — tech, design, business, social

✓ 48-hour intensive hackathon format

✓ Winners fast-tracked into icealex incubation

✓ Real urban problem statements from city stakeholders

✓ Cash prizes and in-kind support for winning teams

Eligibility

Who Can Apply?

→ Teams of 2–5 members (individuals may apply to be matched)
→ Egyptian nationals or residents
→ Open to students, graduates, and working professionals
→ Commitment to attend both days of the hackathon event

Partners

Program Partners

Alexandria Governorate Local City Councils Corporate Sponsors

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a team to apply? +

You can apply as an individual and we will help match you with other participants. Teams of 2–5 are ideal.

Is ECH free to join? +

Yes — participation in ECH is completely free of charge.

What are the problem statements? +

Problem statements are released at the opening session of the hackathon. They focus on real urban challenges provided by city stakeholders.

What happens after the hackathon? +

Winning teams are offered a fast-track pathway into icealex's incubation programme to continue developing their solutions.

Which cities are covered? +

ECH runs in two streams: Delta Cities (including Mansoura, Tanta, Zagazig) and Upper Egypt Cities (including Assiut, Sohag, Qena). Exact venues are announced with each edition.

COMING SOON

Upcoming

⏱

Duration

Event weekend + follow-on incubation

📍

Location

Delta & Upper Egypt (multi-city)

🎓

Format

In-person

Notify me when open

Questions? projects@icealex.com

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Egypt Cities Hackathon (ECH)