Benha University Students won 100,000 EGP Funding for Wound Dressing Development

Two students from Benha University achieved a significant milestone in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship by participating in the team "Glourina," which won a funding grant of 100,000 EGP to support the "AEGIS" project aimed at developing a local wound dressing. This grant was awarded as part of the highest funding category in the "Ready for Tomorrow – YIEP" program, in partnership with Plan International Egypt.
The team included:
• Marwan Bilal Saad El-Din, a third-year student in the Molecular Biology and Biotechnology program at the Faculty of Science,
• Abdullah Mahmoud Mahmoud, a fourth-year student in the Metal Products and Jewelry Department at the Faculty of Applied Arts,
• Several students from the Faculty of Applied Sciences at October 6 University.
The "AEGIS" project aims to develop a wound dressing based on calcium alginate, a biocompatible material derived from seaweed. This material is known for its ability to absorb wound exudates and form a gel layer that helps maintain a moist environment conducive to wound healing. This provides a local alternative to advanced imported dressings at a more accessible cost.
The team's success in securing the grant followed a journey of over four months, which included training, development, and selection phases within a program that attracted around 2,000 applicants. Ultimately, 45 projects reached the final stage, and 20 ideas were selected for funding grants across various categories.
The "Glourina" team qualified for the finals of the "Rally Startup Competition," which offers training programs, mentorship, and support for prototype development and product launch, as well as funding opportunities for young entrepreneurs.
Prof. Nasser El-Gizawy, President of Benha University, expressed pride in the university's outstanding students and their ability to apply their scientific knowledge to innovate practical solutions that serve the community. He praised the collaboration among students from diverse scientific and applied disciplines within the team.
Prof. El-Gizawy also emphasized the university's commitment to supporting innovation and entrepreneurship by providing an environment conducive to transforming students' ideas into viable projects, linking them with supporting entities and industrial sectors. He highlighted the importance of completing the evaluation and scientific verification stages of projects before moving on to implementation and production phases.