Wavemakers United is bringing together five days of youth innovation, collaboration and policy dialogue in Egypt, connecting the Young Champion Challenge (YCC) Camp and the EU-Egypt Youth Innovation Summit as one initiative focused on supporting young people to develop and advance water solutions.
From 25-28 October, 100 selected Young Water Innovators will take part in the YCC Camp, hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, AUC Onsi Sawiris School of Business, in partnership with Wavemakers United Foundation, at AUC Tahrir Campus, with learning, mentorship, collaboration and pitching sessions leading to the live pitching finale and awards ceremony on 28 October. The wider YCC programme has been supported by the Dutch Government and Partners for Water throughout its development.
On 29 October, the EU-Egypt Youth Innovation Summit will take place at AUC Tahrir, hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, AUC Onsi Sawiris School of Business, in partnership with Wavemakers United Foundation, at AUC Tahrir Campus. The Summit will bring together young innovators, policymakers, international organisations, academia and private-sector actors for exchange, collaboration and dialogue around water, climate and innovation. The wider initiative also brings together partners including EU Med Bridge and the Anna Lindh Foundation, adding further European and intercultural perspectives to the programme.
The Summit will feature two roundtables, bringing different perspectives into the discussion. A youth-focused roundtable will provide space for young people to discuss priorities and solutions, while a stakeholder-focused roundtable will bring relevant actors together to explore how they can work together and make better use of their existing resources, expertise and networks to turn shared priorities into practical solutions.
A key highlight will be the Youth Policy Dialogue on Water Solutions & Cooperation: Towards the 2026 UN Water Conference, creating space for young people to bring their perspectives and solutions into wider discussions on water cooperation.
Together, the five-day initiative connects youth participation with capacity building, solution development, pitching and policy dialogue, creating a pathway for young people to move from learning and innovation to wider engagement in the water sector.