Vice President of Benha University for Graduate Studies: Benha University Startup Summit 2026 Is an Important Step Toward Turning Research Ideas into Innovative Projects

Under the auspices of Prof. Nasser El-Gizawy, President of Benha University, Prof. Gehan Abdel Hady, Vice President of the University for Graduate Studies and Research, and Prof. Ayman Samir, Advisor to the University President for Innovation Affairs, attended the introductory meeting for Benha University Startup Summit 2026. The event was organized by the university in the Conference Hall of the Faculty of Commerce to present the summit's objectives, participation tracks, and available support opportunities.
Prof. Gehan Abdel Hady affirmed that the summit represents an important step toward strengthening the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem within the university and linking scientific research to the needs of society and industrial sectors. She noted that the university seeks to create a supportive environment for creative ideas and transform them into real, applicable, and investable projects.She added that investing in the minds of researchers and students is one of the key pillars of building a knowledge-based economy. She stressed the importance of encouraging young people to pursue entrepreneurship rather than limiting themselves to the academic side of research, and to apply research findings in delivering innovative solutions to societal and industrial challenges.
The Vice President called on faculty members, researchers, and students to actively participate in the summit and make the most of its training, development, mentoring, and incubation programs. These programs will help them refine their ideas, build successful business models, and establish competitive startups.
Prof. Ayman Samir outlined the summit's objectives, tracks, and participation mechanisms. He explained that it aims to discover promising ideas and projects across the university's faculties and provide the necessary support to turn them into viable and investable models.The University President's Advisor for Innovation emphasized that the summit is not limited to presenting ideas. It offers a complete pathway that begins with discovering and developing an idea, continues through training, mentoring, and building business models, and culminates in preparing projects for incubation and connecting them with financing and investment opportunities.He highlighted the importance of participation from diverse disciplines and faculties to enable the exchange of expertise, the integration of ideas, and the creation of genuine opportunities for collaboration among researchers and students—ultimately transforming scientific knowledge into products and services of economic value.