The event brought together researchers, academics, students, representatives of non-governmental institutions, policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry professionals with the aim of promoting knowledge exchange and fostering partnerships that advance innovation and sustainable development.

The conference was held under the patronage of Prof. Dr Cherif Youssef Khater, President of Mansoura University, and the leadership of Prof. Dr Tarek Ghouloush, Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research, and in the presence of Prof. Dr Mohamed Attia El-Bayoumi, Vice President for Education and Student Affairs, who gave an opening speech on behalf of the president of the university. Prof. Dr El-Bayoumi highlighted the importance of the event and the efforts of Mansoura University to bridge the gap between science and industry.

Under the theme “Driving Innovation and Creativity: Bridging Academia, Industry, and Technology,” the first day started with the opening ceremony. At the opening session, Nermine Abdelaty, the Coordinator of the DAAD project, COSIMENA, delivered a speech on behalf of Dr Carsten-Michael Walbiner, the Director of the DAAD Regional Office in Cairo, in which she gave an introductory presentation about DAAD Egypt, its history since 1960, activities, most prominent projects, and the grants and funding opportunities it provides. Abdelaty also informed the participants about the COSIMENA Project and briefly indicated how to communicate with the DAAD.

Dr Mohamed Abdelkhalek, Director of the Technology Transfer Office (TICO) at Mansoura University, explained that the main purpose of the conference is to discuss university-industry collaboration under the umbrella of entrepreneurship. “Mansoura University sought to hold this conference as part of its efforts to link scientific research with industry. This conference is the beginning of our efforts within the framework of the COSIMENA project. We hosted more than 400 participants in the conference, whether students, researchers, industrialists, or decision-makers,” Dr Abdelkhalek added. Moreover, the selection committee wanted students at the conference because they underpin the research system.

Regarding the rules of selecting the students participating in the event, Dr. Abdelkhalek noted: “The rules for selecting participants included evaluating the interests of each applicant to participate in the conference and the extent of their alignment with the conference goal. We expect this conference to serve as an initial step toward fostering cooperation between the university and industry, thereby bridging the gap between the two theory and practice.The programme of the event included keynotes addressed by renowned experts and academics, panel discussions on bridging the gap between research and industry, and the role of creativity in business models and tech startups. The sessions explored themes like AI, consortiums, smart manufacturing, and entrepreneurship.

In a session under the title “Economic Growth, Structural Change, and Transformation: What’s Important Now?” Prof. Dr Andreas Pyka, Professor of Innovation Economics and Vice President for International Affairs at the University of Hohenheim in Germany, emphasised the urgent need for a paradigmatic shift in economic development to address sustainability. His lecture advocated for Dedicated Innovation Systems (DIS) to integrate sustainability into innovation processes, involving diverse stakeholders and fostering new technological paradigms.

Prof. Dr Marie-Luise Sessler, Professor of Computer Science, Chair of Digital Finance, Central Gender Equality Officer, Worms University of Applied Sciences, Germany, presented the impact of AI on human creativity, exploring both opportunities and challenges. In her lecture, Professor Sessler explored the opportunities that AI offers to enhance creativity, such as accelerating creative processes and opening up new horizons in the arts and sciences.

In addition, the first day continued with Dr Ashraf Sheta, the Founder and CEO of Ashraf Sheta Consultancy and Training and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and Family Business at the American University in Cairo (AUC), who delved into the concept of smart manufacturing as a transformative innovation of traditional production models. Dr Sheta provided insights on how companies are adopting modern technologies. He highlighted the role of smart manufacturing in improving operational flexibility, enhancing productivity, and meeting the growing demand for customized products. He also addressed the challenges facing the implementation of these technologies, such as developing human capabilities and digital infrastructure.

In his presentation, Prof. Dr James Green from the Fine Art Mixed Media department at the British University in Egypt explored the role of technology in contemporary art, explaining how technological innovation can be combined with artistic traditions to reshape creative practices.

The first day of the event also featured a panel discussion with the title “Bridging the Gap Between Research and Industry through Technology Transfer.” It discussed the relationship between universities and industry and how universities can build an ecosystem to help connect industry with innovation. The panelists emphasised the significance of establishing networks and relationships between universities and industry, as well as agreeing on a research scope that harmonises both parties, particularly when a new science emerges and finds its way towards industrial application. The discussion also addressed the role of the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the new funding methods that it will introduce in the coming period, which will help develop innovation in universities and link innovations to industry, with afocus on small and medium enterprises.

Moderator of the panel, Prof. Dr Heba Labib, Assistant Vice President of Innovation at Nile University, Egypt, added that “We need a network within universities to develop innovations so that they can make their way to the market. Universities must play a role in training industrialists so that the industry is always ready to accept new ideas based on technology.” There is mistrust between industry and universities and research institutions, she said. Prof. Dr Labib explained that industry believes that academics deal theoretically and do not have sufficient practical experience or contact with the market, so it is difficult to trust them, while academics see that industry is only interested in profit. “Therefore, there is a need to build bridges of communication between the two sides.”

For her part, Dr Bethan O’Neil, Associate Professor of Law at the British University in Egypt, pointed out that one of the solutions to this problem of trust is to create permanent communication networks between industrialists, universities, and researchers and to establish partnerships between the two parties. Building on this perspective, Prof. Dr Andreas Pyka has also suggested that universities should provide ongoing training for industrial workers to inform them of the latest technologies.

In line with the objective of addressing the existing gap, the second day of the symposium started with a lecture from Prof. Dr Alaa-Eldin M. Adris, Professor of Technology Management at Nile University, Egypt. Under the title “Creativity and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development,” , he tackled the dividing points between the research results coming out of universities and research centers and the scope of application for industrial or societal benefit purposes, and what is missing. He also addressed the question, “Why is there no communication or a common language of dialogue, and why is the market not ready to transform research outputs into a product that benefits people?”

He added that there are several reasons that lead to a lack of trust between industry and scientific research; the most important of these reasons is the wide gap between the degree of readiness of the knowledge produced in the laboratory and what the manufacturing process requires. Another session by Prof. Dr Andreas Pester, Professor of Machine Learning and Deep learning at the German University in Cairo (GUC).  The lecture addressed the role of AI models in improving the health, education, and industry sectors. Prof Pester elucidated the potential of AI in enhancing disease diagnosis and treatment, enhancing personalised learning in education, and boosting the efficiency of industrial processes.

In his presentation, Dr Mohamed Abbas, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Consultant and Co-Founder of NilePreneurs Egypt, discussed the connection between the personal characteristics of entrepreneurs and their economic impact in Egypt.  He emphasised the importance of early development of these characteristics, highlighting the role of upbringing and acquired skills. Dr Mohamed Abbas also highlighted the symposium’s role in presenting experiences, discussing modern technologies and resources, and connecting industry and market needs with scientific knowledge.

Exploring different perspectives, a second panel discussion was held on the second day, under the theme “Creativity in Business Models and Tech Startups.” During the panel, panelists discussed innovation as a way of thinking in business models and tech startups and shared their insights on how to develop innovative business models that meet changing market needs and enhance competitiveness. Speakers addressed the challenges of tech entrepreneurship, such as financing, scaling, and innovation.

Prof. Dr Hadia Hamdy, Vice President of Academic Services at the Universities of Canada in Egypt, discussed the role of creativity in shaping tech start-ups from the beginning, from the birth of the idea to identifying the available opportunities to the challenges they may face and how they can overcome them in an innovative way, in addition to how they can have a positive impact on society.  She added that creativity is an integral part of the life of tech startups, especially with the major changes in the world of technology, markets, and even policies; therefore, there is a need to innovate new methods, strategies, and products so that the startup can achieve profitability and continue.

Prof. Dr Hamdy noted that tech startups face major challenges. For example, more legislative efforts are needed to incentivize this startup to operate, develop, and continue in Egypt. Many companies migrate outside Egypt due to more attractive incentives abroad, such as ease of preparation and establishment, ease of obtaining financing, openness to markets, and simple integration into projects.

Moreover, Dr Eng. Nabil Shalaby, Founder and Chairman of Arab Entrepreneur House (ARENHO) and International Expert in Entrepreneurship and SME’s Development, Egypt, spoke about the transformation of entrepreneurship from a local concept to an interconnected global movement, and the use and analysis of data to support innovation and connect idea owners with investors and markets.

Reflecting the influence of young researchers, the two-day symposium attracted a large number of aspiring researchers. Mohamed Tharwat, a Master’s researcher in biotechnology at Mansoura University, expressed his eagerness to grasp new insights and seek advice from the expert lecturers, which could aid him in realizing his dream of inventing a treatment for a fungal toxin. He added that he had won advanced positions in scientific and technological competitions, but was unable to secure funding for his project.

Abdel Rahman Lashin, a fresh graduate from the Faculty of Engineering at Mansoura University, said that the sessions were useful, especially the one in which Prof. Dr Ashraf Sheta tackled the link between science, industry and business plan. Manal Ali, a graduate student in Computer Science and Information at Mansoura University, she works on developing mobile applications and artificial intelligence for health and food purposes. She linked her area of interest with the session that addressed restoring trust between industry and scientific research and valued the advice that experts provided to researchers on how to communicate with factories and practice actual work on the ground.

The GERMINATE Symposium concluded by emphasising the vital role of collaboration between academia, industry, and technology in driving sustainable development and innovation. Key outcomes included fostering stronger university-industry networks, bridging the trust gap through communication and training, and highlighting the importance of integrating sustainability into technological innovation. Participants gained insights on leveraging AI, entrepreneurship, and creativity to address contemporary challenges. The event underscored the need for legislative support for startups and ongoing efforts to align research outputs with market demands.