The Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program (YIEP) is a flagship initiative of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport Entrepreneurship Center (AAST EC) in partnership with Plan International Egypt (PIE). The program's core mission is to enable young men and women to be inspired and included in economic life by enhancing their employability and entrepreneurial skills. AAST EC serves as the implementation partner, focusing on helping Egyptian youth develop their own startups and improve their financial literacy.
YIEP is a comprehensive program designed to support aspiring entrepreneurs and youth. It focuses on equipping participants with the technical and business skills needed to navigate the labor market and build a sustainable business. By the end of 2024, the program successfully completed two waves in Cairo and Alexandria, training over 2,000 young people and helping them turn their project ideas into viable startups.
Program Pillars
The program is built on four main pillars to ensure a holistic development journey for participants:
Plan Program Stages
The YIEP program follows a structured timeline of activities to guide participants from initial idea to a full business plan. The stages include:
What You’ll Get
Participants in the YIEP program receive:
The main partner for the YIEP program is Plan International Egypt (PIE), which provided the total seed funding for the winners.
Farza (Cairo): An e-commerce platform for trading and delivering electrical appliances.
Who Can Join
The program is open to young people aged 18 to 35 who are keen to develop their own startups and enhance their entrepreneurial skills.
Program Duration
The YIEP program officially started in 2024. The initial two waves were completed by the end of 2024, with a work plan extending into 2025.
Plan On Numbers
Based on the data for the 2024 program, the key numbers are:
