The Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) has announced opening the 18th round of applications for the Graduation Projects Support Programme, one of the Information Technology Academia Collaboration (ITAC) programmes, aiming to support university students and encourage innovation.
The programme targets senior year students enrolled in faculties of Engineering, Computer Science, and Information Systems in Egyptian universities and institutes. Students are to apply for their graduation projects in the fields of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) during the period from 15 January to 15 February 2023.
ITIDA has also announced increasing the allocated fund for the Graduation Projects Support Programme from EGP 10,000 to EGP 30,000.
Additionally, ITIDA has also raised the amount of funds for ICT companies and academic entities within the framework of the Collaborative Funded Projects Programme.
Accordingly, ICT companies applying for preliminary research projects (PRP) will receive an increased fund amounting to EGP 700,000 instead of EGP 250,000. Applying ICT companies must present projects aimed at developing innovative prototypes based on the efforts of research and development teams in companies that include at least 2 researchers, with a maximum duration of one year.
The allocated fund for academic entities applying for preliminary research projects (PRP) has been increased from EGP 250,000 to EGP 350,000, for projects reaching the “proof of concept” stage only; however, projects are to receive the full funding amount of EGP 700,000, if the “proof of concept” stage is further employed in developing prototypes and establishing start-up companies.
The funds increase aims at improving the capabilities of PRPs to complete the value chain of the research projects to reach the phase of product development and execution (PDP). Moreover, the fund increase aims at encouraging ICT companies to apply to the 34th round of the Collaborative Funded Projects Program, which will be open from 1 March to 30 April 2023. The programme aims to enhance cooperation between ICT companies and universities to implement joint projects and contribute to building an innovative knowledge economy.
The ITAC initiative was launched in 2006 to boost the Egyptian ICT industry by fostering collaboration between industry and academia to develop innovative products based on research, thus positioning Egyptian ICT companies at the forefront of the ICT market, both locally and globally.
