The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) has launched the fourth edition of the FinTech Got Talent competition to help develop young innovators and prepare them for the growing demands of the financial technology sector. The competition gives university students a practical platform to develop solutions while gaining skills and experience that can support Egypt’s banking and financial sector.
The competition is organised by FinTech Egypt under the FinYology initiative, in collaboration with the Federation of Egyptian Banks (FEB) and the Egyptian Banking Institute (EBI). It is part of the CBE’s wider efforts to empower young people, support innovation and strengthen Egypt’s position as a leading regional FinTech hub.
CBE Governor Hassan Abdalla said investing in young talent is a key part of the bank’s vision for the future of Egypt’s banking and financial sector. He noted that the focus is on developing a generation with the knowledge, skills and capabilities needed to respond to rapid changes in the global economy. This, he said, will help improve the efficiency and competitiveness of the financial sector.
The competition was inaugurated by Eng. Ayman Hussein, CBE First Sub-Governor, and Abdel Aziz Nossier, Executive Director of the EBI. The event was hosted by the CBE and attended by CBE leaders, senior banking sector representatives and representatives from several Egyptian universities.
From University Ideas to FinTech Solutions
The competition begins with university-level qualifiers before the top 11 projects are selected for the final stage. The finalist teams then take part in a one-month incubation programme at the DMZ Cairo business incubator. During the programme, students receive mentorship and practical support to improve their ideas and prepare them for the final competition.
FinFamily, developed by students from the Faculty of Computers and Artificial Intelligence at Cairo University, won first place. The team developed an integrated digital platform focused on improving financial literacy among children aged six to 15. The application combines interactive financial education with AI-powered training and is available in both Arabic and English. The project aims to help children build financial knowledge from an early age in a way that is practical and accessible.
PayRamids, developed by students from the College of Computing and Information Technology at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Smart Village branch, secured second place. The application provides SMEs with an integrated system for managing human resources and payroll. It also gives businesses access to short-term financing through banks and licensed financing institutions. The solution addresses two important needs for SMEs by combining business management tools with access to finance.
Pockety, developed by the School of Business Administration at Nile University, took third place. The platform uses a mobile application and smart bracelet to help children develop better money management habits. It allows children to set savings goals, track spending, take part in interactive financial challenges and make secure payments under parental supervision.
The three winning teams will now have the opportunity to represent Egypt at the Arab FinTech Challenge during the Jordan FinTech Festival 2026. The event will take place in Jordan from September 21 to 24, with teams from Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Palestine taking part.
Building a Stronger FinTech Talent Pipeline
Egyptian teams have performed strongly in the Arab FinTech Challenge over the past three years. They previously secured first place in the competition held as part of GITEX North Star. In 2025, Egyptian teams went a step further by taking both first and second place, demonstrating the ability of Egyptian students to compete at a regional level in FinTech and digital innovation.
FinTech Got Talent was launched in 2023 as the first competition of its kind in the FinTech field under the FinYology initiative. The programme is designed to give students practical exposure while developing the skills and expertise they need to keep up with global developments in financial technology. It also supports creativity across different areas to help students respond to changing labour market needs.
The scale of FinYology has continued to grow. The initiative now covers 31 Egyptian universities and has supported the development of 1,060 projects involving nearly 24,000 students. About 27 banks and financial institutions have supported the initiative over the years.
The continued involvement of the banking sector gives students access to practical support while helping financial institutions identify and encourage new talent. For the CBE, the programme also provides a way to build a stronger pipeline of young people who can contribute to innovation, entrepreneurship and the future development of Egypt’s financial technology sector.
