Nile University’s Innovation Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness Centre (IECC) today celebrated the dynamic launch of Day One at the Local Conference of Youth on Climate Change (LCOY Egypt 2025), a landmark event fostering youth-led climate resilience and innovation across Egypt. This gathering, aligned with global UN Youth Climate initiatives, empowers the next generation to tackle pressing challenges like emissions reduction, biodiversity protection, and equitable green growth, drawing participants from diverse sectors including academia, NGOs, and industry.
The day opened with a heartfelt welcome from Leena H. Ghoniam, Senior Associate of Community Development & Partnerships at IECC, setting an inclusive tone for collaboration. This was followed by motivational speeches from Abdelhalim Mohamed, Executive Director of MYF, and Youssef Aroog, Co-President of MYF, emphasizing the role of youth in policy advocacy and community-driven sustainability. Dr. Yasmeen Aladdin, Expert on Gender & Climate Change, delivered a compelling talk highlighting the disproportionate impacts on women and vulnerable groups, urging intersectional approaches to climate justice.
Engagement soared through a packed agenda of hands-on activities: the Compete for Climate challenge sparked competitive ideation on low-carbon solutions; the WHO Climate & Health simulation explored health risks from environmental shifts; an Introduction to Entrepreneurship session, led by Youssef Yahya from the IECC Nile University team, equipped participants with startup fundamentals for eco-ventures; and an Agile Workshop by VOIS honed adaptive skills for climate projects. The afternoon buzzed with the Green Shark Tank, where budding innovators pitched scalable ideas; Deep Delta showcased AI tools for real-time climate risk monitoring in the Nile Delta; and From Waste to Build demonstrated Replast’s circular innovations in turning plastic waste into construction materials. The session closed with the proud graduation of MYF Internship Cohorts, recognizing emerging talents in sustainability.
The vibrant exhibition zone showcased cutting-edge solutions from partners Misr El-Kheir, MYF, VOIS, and IECC-supported startups Blutechnova (focusing on blue economy tech) and EcoPack (sustainable packaging alternatives), allowing attendees to interact with prototypes and forge potential collaborations. The day wrapped with a unifying group photo and a special award presented to IECC for its pivotal role in nurturing climate entrepreneurship.
“LCOY Egypt 2025 is a testament to the power of youth innovation in Egypt’s climate agenda. By blending inspiration, skills-building, and real-world applications, we’re equipping over 1,600 leaders to turn ideas into impact,” said Leena H. Ghoniam, Senior Associate at IECC. (Paraphrased from opening welcome remarks.)
“Our foundation is proud to partner with IECC in amplifying young voices—today’s sessions on entrepreneurship and agile methods will catalyze actionable change in our communities,” noted Abdelhalim Mohamed, Executive Director of MYF.
“As a hub for climate-smart startups, IECC is thrilled to showcase Blutechnova and EcoPack, proving that Egyptian ingenuity can lead global sustainability efforts,” added Youssef Yahya, IECC Nile University Team Member.
The conference continues with Day Two focused on policy dialogues, tech demos, and networking, projecting outcomes like youth policy briefs submitted to national forums and seed funding for top innovations. Organizers anticipate scaling LCOY’s impact through annual editions, targeting a 30% increase in youth participation in Egypt’s National Climate Strategy by 2030.
