100 Young African Entrepreneurs to be Rewarded with Cash Prizes, Others at TotalEnergies’ Centenary
Cairo, May 12, 2024 – Following the success of the first three editions, TotalEnergies has once again launched the “Startupper” competition in 32 African countries. To coincide with the launch of this special edition of the competition on the company’s centennial anniversary, 100 entrepreneurs from across the continent will be honored and rewarded in three different award categories.
During the “Startupper” competition for the year 2021/2022 in Egypt, TotalEnergies Egypt honored three young entrepreneurs: Ghada Hassan (Blutruve), Sherif Zakaria (Receety), and Al-Shaymaa Omar (EGAAD).
This new edition, which launches today, reaffirms TotalEnergies’ commitment to promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and supporting social and economic development in the African countries where the company operates. The competition aims to strengthen the social fabric of local communities by assisting the most innovative entrepreneurs on the continent in implementing their projects. Overall, Total Energies has honored and supported 365 winners out of approximately 40,000 applicants worldwide since 2015.
Commenting on the launch of the new edition, Mr. Thomas Strauss, Managing Director of TotalEnergies Egypt Marketing, stated: “We are delighted to witness the launch of another successful edition of the competition, which has played an active role in supporting the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Egypt over the past years. We have seen tremendous potential in many Egyptian startups offering innovative solutions to help community development. Therefore, this year’s competition will provide greater opportunities for these ambitious ideas to grow at a faster pace.”
In the 2024/2025 edition of the competition, TotalEnergies will support and reward young entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 35, residing in Egypt, who have a project idea to establish a startup or a startup less than three years old, in any sector. A local judging panel comprising experts, business leaders, academics, and stakeholders in sustainability, along with representatives from TotalEnergies Egypt Marketing, will select three winners:
- Best Entrepreneur Award in the Innov’Up category
- Circular Economy Award in the Cycle’Up category
- “Clean and Affordable Energy” Award in the Power’Up category
Additionally, four additional projects will be selected at the African level under the Power’Up category by an international judging committee.
The evaluation criteria for applicants are as follows:
- Activation of sustainable development principles
- Innovative personality
- Feasibility and development potential of the idea
- Gender equality respect
Each winner of the “Startupper” competition from TotalEnergies will receive a cash prize worth 7,000 euros (paid in Egyptian pounds), a customized training program by specialized entrepreneurship experts, extensive media coverage, and participation in the competition’s closing ceremony – details of which will be revealed later.
It is worth noting that the application process for the competition opened on April 30, 2024, directly online through the website http://startupper.totalenergies.com, and will continue until June 18, 2024.
