Design Thinking, Entrepreneurship
Empowering Entrepreneurs in Egypt’s Industrial Waste Management
ERGO Partners with Cairo University and Youthinkgreen-Egypt for Entrepreneurship and Industrial Waste Management
This year, ERGO partnered with Cairo University, Youthinkgreen-Egypt, and the <a href=”http://www.mti.gov.eg/Arabic/Pages/default.aspx” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”><span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>Egyptian Ministry of Trade and Industry</span></a> to boost entrepreneurship in Egypt. Together, they explored untapped opportunities in industrial waste management. Over four months, ERGO worked with 100 entrepreneurs to create solutions for overlooked waste in Egypt’s industrial hubs. We’re excited to share the incredible work of the participants and the Youthinkgreen team, who made this program a success.
A Program with Purpose
The program started in April with 100 eager participants. Over seven days, they trained in design thinking, business modeling, and industrial waste management. After that, they faced a specific waste challenge, which they worked on for two weeks. They then pitched their solutions to a panel of judges. Fifty participants advanced, forming ten teams to tackle waste issues over the next four months.
Each team partnered with a local factory to find sustainable waste solutions. Throughout the program, they continued receiving training in entrepreneurship, sustainable development, and industrial waste management. This included workshops on prototyping, market research, business strategy, and financial planning. At the end, they presented their solutions to a panel of judges in front of over 250 people. Here are three standout projects.
Spotlight on Innovation
G-Fit
G-Fit, a sports recovery drink, made from excess whey from cheese manufacturing to help athletes tackle performance challenges. It replenishes electrolytes, carbohydrates, and amino acids lost during exercise. Packed with nutrients, this isotonic beverage boosts hydration, reduces fatigue, and aids muscle recovery—all in a single, convenient drink.
Lanatus
Lanatus is a protein bar made from powders extracted from melon rinds and cantaloupe seeds. It offers a healthy blend of fast- and slow-digesting proteins, with fewer carbs and fats than other products on the market. Lanatus stands out for its high protein content and affordability, providing a lean muscle-building snack that competes with imported alternatives.
VWaste
VWaste transforms orange waste into high-quality orange peel powder, which is exported to Europe for pectin production. Pectin is widely used in food and pharmaceutical industries, from gelling jams to stabilizing fruit juices. VWaste’s eco-friendly model helps reduce the carbon footprint of agro-industrial waste in Egypt, while creating an additional revenue stream for the juicing industry.
More Exciting Projects
Other teams developed impressive solutions, like producing biodiesel from cooking oil, gluten-free flour from mango seed kernels, and pomegranate-based products such as tea and powder. The judges evaluated these projects based on product-market fit, innovation, financial viability, scalability, technical feasibility, and the strength of the pitch. All team made significant strides, both personally and professionally, over the course of the program.
Innovation as a Path Forward
At ERGO, we believe innovation is key to solving society’s toughest challenges. That’s why we collaborate with organizations to design innovation bootcamps and hackathons to bring high impact, humanity-centered solutions to life. Interested in learning more? Want to learn more about what we do? Reach out, and let’s start a conversation.
