V-Lab AI & Deep Tech Challenge

Are you building an AI or DeepTech solution with real-world potential?

Join us at Techne Summit Alexandria for the V-Lab AI & Deep Tech Challenge and pitch your startup for a chance to be one of three winning startups, each receiving EGP 50,000 and a fast-track opportunity to the final selection phase of the AUC Venture Lab Accelerator Program – Cycle 28.

📍 Location: Techne Summit Alexandria
📅 Date: Saturday, 4th October
⏰ Time: 7:00 – 9:00 PM

Applications close on 13 September 2026.

This opportunity is offered by Techne and AUC Venture Lab under AUC Venture Lab’s partnership with the Danish Arab Partnership Programme (DAPP), Dansk Erhverv, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (Danida), and Plan International.

Selected startups will have the opportunity to pitch at Techne Summit Alexandria and compete for the following:

Who Should Apply?

We are looking for AI & DeepTech startups that have:

• Startup Stage: Prototyping, MVP, or Post-MVP
• A Specific Problem: A clearly defined problem with an innovative solution
• A Scalable Business Model: Potential for sustainable and scalable growth
• A Strong Team: Relevant expertise with complementary skills

The Winner’s Prize

The Top 3 startups will receive:

• Fast-track access to the Final Selection Phase of the AUC Venture Lab Accelerator – Cycle 28
• EGP 50,000 cash prize for each winning startup

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated across five core pillars:

• Team & Execution: Founder expertise, team synergy, and ability to deliver.
• Market Opportunity: The depth, size, and potential of the AI or DeepTech challenge being addressed.
• Tech & Innovation: How uniquely and effectively your product leverages technology.
• Scalability & Impact: Your potential for regional and global expansion.
• Traction: Real-world validation through MVP testing, active pilots, early user adoption, or other evidence of market demand.

If you’re building the future of AI & DeepTech, this is your platform to shine.

Application Deadline: September 13, 2026

APPLY NOW!

From Alexandria to San Francisco, Witness the Pitch for $1,000,000 in Investment.

Join us for the regional tournament on October 4th as part of Techne Summit Alexandria 2026 (October 3–5), and watch ambitious startups compete for a place at the Startup World Cup Grand Finale on November 6, 2026 in San Francisco, USA, where the global winner receives $1,000,000 in investment from Pegasus Tech Ventures.

📍 Location: Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria
📅 Competition Day: Sunday, 4th October

Who Should Attend

We're inviting everyone interested in:

• Discovering high-potential startups from Egypt and the broader MENA region

• Watching founders pitch innovative solutions across industries and verticals

• Meeting ambitious entrepreneurs building scalable businesses

• Connecting with investors, founders, and ecosystem leaders

• Experiencing the journey from Alexandria to the global stage

• Supporting the next generation of regional startup talent

What to Expect

• Real Problems & Solutions: Discover startups tackling meaningful, validated challenges

• Innovation: See unique and potentially game-changing approaches

• Market Opportunity: Explore businesses with significant growth potential

• Team Strength: Meet founders building and scaling ambitious companies

• Business Models: Discover startups working toward sustainable, investor-ready businesses

• Pitch Delivery: Experience clear, confident, and compelling startup pitches

How It Works

• Shortlisted startups will pitch live at Techne Summit Alexandria on October 4th

• Each startup delivers a 3-minute pitch followed by 7 minutes of Q&A with a panel of judges

• 1 regional winner will be announced on October 4 at Techne Summit Alexandria

• The regional winner earns an official place at the Startup World Cup Grand Finale – November 6, 2026, San Francisco

• At the Grand Finale, the regional winner will compete against winners from around the world for $1,000,000 in investment

Applications are now closed  join us on October 4th to witness the competition live.

AI & Technology Startups Competition at Techne Summit Alexandria 2026

In partnership with the Swedish Embassy in Egypt, Techne Summit Alexandria 2026 opens its doors to ambitious AI and technology startups ready to showcase their innovations on an international stage.

This is your chance to witness innovative startups take the stage, gain insights into emerging technologies, and connect with investors, ecosystem leaders, and technology experts. Two selected winners will join an exclusive Stockholm ecosystem program, connecting with leading global stakeholders, investors, and potential partners while expanding their international network.

🎯 Why Attend?

Join us to discover startups that are:

• Tech-Driven: Utilizing AI or advanced technology to solve meaningful challenges.
• Growth-Ready: Building innovative solutions with strong potential for international expansion.
• Scalable: Developing business models designed for sustainable growth and global markets.
• Ambitious Teams: Founded by dedicated teams ready to present their vision to a panel of global experts.

What Makes a Standout Startup?

Our judging panel will be looking for high-potential ventures that blend:

1. Innovation + Value: Cutting-edge technical solutions mapped to real market demand.
2. Problem Focus: A deep, verified understanding of the problem space.
3. Execution Capabilities: Strong initial traction, growth potential, and a sustainable business strategy.
4. The Pitch: A compelling vision delivered through a confident, articulate live presentation.

The Competition Journey

• Phase 1: Online Application — Applications close on August 15, 2026, with startups entering the official screening pool.
• Phase 2: Evaluation — Applications undergo a rigorous review process by ecosystem specialists to select the top finalists.
• Phase 3: Live Pitching — Shortlisted startups will take the main stage on Sunday, October 4, 2026, live at the historic Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
• Phase 4: Global Exposure — Two winners will be announced post-pitch and selected to participate in a Stockholm ecosystem program, connecting with investors, technology leaders, stakeholders, and potential partners.

Applications are now closed.

SANAD ElevateHer Regional Competition — Powered by the SANAD Fund for MSME & delivered by Seedstars. Meet the Region's Most Promising Women-Led Startups, Before Anyone Else Does!

Investors, corporates, and ecosystem partners are invited to Techne Summit 2026 in Alexandria for the SANAD ElevateHer Regional Competition, the Phase 1 final of an acceleration programme built to get women-led startups from MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa investment-ready and to put them directly in front of the people who can back their next stage of growth.

SANAD ElevateHer is delivered by Seedstars, a global organisation that has spent over a decade building entrepreneurial ecosystems in emerging and frontier markets through acceleration programmes, venture funds, and hands-on, community-driven support. The programme is funded by the SANAD Fund for MSME, an impact investment fund that finances micro, small, and medium enterprises across the MENA region, with a particular focus on closing the financing gap for young entrepreneurs, female business owners, and rural communities and is advised by Finance in Motion, a global impact asset manager with over 20 years of experience and more than €10.4 billion deployed across 44 emerging economies. Together, the three partners have built a programme designed to move women founders from "promising" to "investable."

The SANAD ElevateHer Regional Competition runs alongside Techne Summit 2026, from October 1st to 5th, hosted at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Over five days, the founder cohort will go through pitch preparation, one-on-one coaching, thematic roundtables, investor meetings, and networking sessions — all building toward the Phase 1 final announcements.

The centerpiece of the week is the live pitch competition on the Arena Stage on Saturday, October 3rd, where the cohort will pitch in front of a jury of investors and industry experts. The programme concludes with the Seedstars Villa networking night on Sunday, 4th of October, where three cash prize winners will be announced, alongside the 22 startups selected to advance into Phase II — an acceleration phase built around tailored, one-on-one connections to help these startups scale their growth.

This is a curated, closed-cohort event rather than an open call: the founders on stage have already been through Phase 1 of the programme. What makes it worth your time as an investor or ecosystem partner is who else will be in the room — the full founder cohort, their coaches, jury members, corporate representatives, and fellow investors, alongside representatives from Seedstars, the SANAD Fund for MSME, and Techne Summit itself. It's a concentrated opportunity to meet a vetted pipeline of women-led businesses from across MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa in one place: founders based across Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Jordan, and Palestine in MENA, and Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, Senegal, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe in Sub-Saharan Africa, working across agriculture and agri-finance, climate tech and clean energy, financial inclusion, supply chain and logistics, health, education, food and beverage, industrial manufacturing, mobility and transport, and marketing technology — many building on AI, IoT, and biotech-enabled platforms.

Location: Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria | Arena Stage

Pitching Competition: Saturday, October 3rd 

Time: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM