Cairo: The Egyptian Food Bank announced its continued collaboration with the winner of the first place in the  El Forsa Program, along with extending support to various startups  participating in the program. This partnership in the 2023 season marks the second consecutive year of the Egyptian Food Bank's commitment as a community impact partner.

El  Forsa Program, hosted by renowned anchor Lamis El-Hadidi on ONTV, focuses on fostering entrepreneurship and innovation among Egyptian youth. ”Flash” the first-place winner in the latest season, the Egyptian Food Bank has chosen to collaborate with and support other participating companies.

Flash, is an innovative fintech application that facilitates electronic payments through QR codes for instant donation collection from EFB’s donors The Egyptian Food Bank sees this collaboration as an opportunity to establish diverse partnerships that align with its strategic objectives. These collaborations will be critical to the food bank's aim of being efficient and effective.

Mohsen Sarhan, CEO of the Egyptian Food Bank, commented on this productive collaboration, “We are committed to supporting young talents and entrepreneurs who bring innovative ideas and solutions to the table. These individuals possess unique ideas and marketing capabilities that can make a significant impact on addressing food-related challenges and achieving food security in Egypt.”

He further added, “The  achievement of Sherine Ashraf, the first female entrepreneur to win the top spot in Egypt's largest entrepreneurship program underscores the Egyptian Food Bank's commitment to supporting women and providing them with proper nutrition and integrating them into strategic initiatives, recognizing their pivotal role in society.”

Moreover, Lamis El-Hadidi, the anchor of the program, said, "The Egyptian Food Bank, through its partnerships with startups from various governorates in Egypt through the El Forsa Program, provides a highly innovative and forward-looking model. It demonstrates how a civil society organization can adopt technology and innovative youth solutions to enhance its operations and achieve its objectives, significantly boosting efficiency in a way never seen before."

It is worth noting that the Egyptian Food Bank has participated in the EL Forsa Program for the second consecutive year as a community impact partner, also the food Bank actively contributed as a member of the judging committee. This participation included collaborations with top startups aimed at enhancing and streamlining food production processes and food distribution to beneficiaries.

Through strategic meetings between the CEO and relevant startups in the agricultural and technological sectors, this cooperation is expected to have a significant impact on the future of startups in Egypt. It is anticipated that it will motivate other startups to participate in future program seasons, to compete for the title and further advance the prospects of emerging businesses in Egypt. This aligns with the Egyptian Food Bank's strategy of continually developing tools and capabilities to reach deserving beneficiaries efficiently.

During its participation in the El Forsa Program, the Egyptian Food Bank actively pursued the adoption of more effective strategies. The food Bank conducted a series of meetings with a selection of tech-based startups. These startups have the potential to play a significant role in executing and enhancing various aspects of the Egyptian Food Bank's operations, particularly in the areas of food supply chains and distribution to deserving recipients.

Among these startups, V Lens a company specialized in identity verification using artificial intelligence technology, Mycelium, a company engaged in activities related to biotechnology, utilizing a radical mycelium structure for the cultivation of bio-fungi. Furthermore, the Egyptian Food Bank conducted collaboration discussions with Tasty Food Valley, a specialized enterprise in the cultivation and production of dried fruits and vegetables. Collaboration with these companies extends to their involvement in projects within the New Valley region and their partnership with the Egyptian Food Bank in the 'Food-Secure Village' program in addition to planting new crops. Additionally, Acacia, a company specializing in providing 100% natural products and recycling bee waste, supplies the Egyptian Food Bank with quantities of honey for use in school nutrition programs in the New Valley Governorate.

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