Egypt's Central Bank Launches Fourth Edition of FinTech Got Talent 2026 Competition for University Students

The Central Bank of Egypt, through the FinYology initiative by Fintech Egypt, launched the fourth edition of the FinTech Got Talent 2026 competition, involving university students with the aim of selecting the best projects and innovative ideas in the field of financial technology. This is being conducted in collaboration with the Egyptian Banks Union and the Egyptian Banking Institute.

The launch of the competition comes within the framework of the Central Bank of Egypt’s commitment to empowering university youth and consolidating Egypt’s position as a leading regional hub in financial technology, while building on the successes achieved by the competition in its previous three editions.

For his part, Hisham Abdellatif, Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt, emphasized that investing in young talent is not merely one of the objectives the Central Bank seeks to achieve, but rather a fundamental pillar within its vision for building the future of Egypt’s banking and financial sectors. This is done by preparing and qualifying a new generation equipped with the knowledge, skills, and capabilities necessary to keep pace with the rapid changes in the global economy, thereby contributing to enhancing the efficiency of the sector and developing its competitive capabilities.

The competition’s opening ceremony was attended by Eng. Ayman Hussein, First Undersecretary to the Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt, and Dr. Abdulaziz Nasser, Executive Director of the Egyptian Banking Institute. The event, hosted by the Central Bank of Egypt, was attended by senior officials from the Central Bank and the banking sector, as well as representatives from Egyptian universities.

The competition comprises several stages, beginning with university-level qualifiers and culminating in the selection of the top 11 projects to be incubated within a comprehensive one-month program at the DMZ Cairo business incubator. During this period, the teams receive the necessary support and guidance to refine their ideas and enhance their readiness for competition.

At the conclusion of the competition, awards were presented to the winning teams. The first-place prize was awarded to the FinFamily project, submitted by students from the Faculty of Computers and Information at Cairo University. The project features an innovative application that provides a comprehensive digital platform to enhance financial literacy among children aged 6 to 15, combining interactive financial education with AI-supported training in both Arabic and English.

The second-place prize went to the PayRamids project, submitted by students from the Faculty of Computers and Information Technology at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (New Cairo Campus). The application offers an integrated system for small and medium-sized enterprises to manage human resources and payroll, while also enabling access to short-term financing through licensed banks and funding institutions.

The third-place prize was awarded to the Pockety project, submitted by students from the Faculty of Business Administration at Nile University. The application combines a smartphone app with a smart bracelet, allowing children to set savings goals, track their spending, participate in interactive financial challenges, and make secure payments under parental supervision.

The three winning teams were granted the opportunity to represent the Arab Republic of Egypt in the Arab FinTech Challenge, which will be held as part of the Jordan FinTech Festival 2026 in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan from September 21 to 24, 2026. The competition will involve five Arab countries: Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Palestine.

It is worth noting that Egyptian teams have maintained a strong presence and achieved advanced results in the Arab FinTech Challenge over the past three years. Egyptian teams secured first place at the GITEX North Star edition of the competition and achieved a remarkable feat in 2025 by taking both first and second places, reflecting the superiority of Egyptian student talent and their ability to compete regionally in financial technology and digital innovation.

The FinTech Got Talent competition is the first of its kind in the financial technology sector. It was launched in 2023 under the umbrella of the FinYology initiative, which aims to integrate students into a practical environment, equip them with the skills and experience needed to keep pace with global developments in the financial technology sector, and develop their creative capabilities in various fields. This contributes to preparing them for successful integration into the labor market, in line with its evolving requirements.

The FinYology initiative currently includes 31 Egyptian universities, with approximately 1,060 projects implemented through it, involving nearly 24,000 students. These projects receive continuous support from Egyptian banks, with around 27 banks and financial institutions participating in supporting the initiative over the past years. This reflects the Central Bank of Egypt’s and the banking sector’s commitment to nurturing young talent, encouraging innovation, and supporting entrepreneurship in the field of financial technology.