The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), has launched the fourth edition of FinTech Got Talent 2026 competition for university students, under FinYology initiative by FinTech Egypt. The competition aims to award the best ground-breaking projects and innovations in the field of financial technology, in collaboration with the Federation of Egyptian Banks (FEB) and the Egyptian Banking Institute (EBI).

The launch of this contest comes in alignment with the CBE’s commitment to empowering youth, anchoring Egypt’s stance as a leading regional hub for financial technology, and capitalizing on the successes achieved during the previous three editions.

In this regard, Mr. Hassan Abdalla, Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt, emphasized that investing in young talents is not merely an objective the CBE strives to achieve, but rather a fundamental pillar of its vision to build the future of Egypt’s banking and financial sector. This is accomplished through qualifying a generation that is equipped with the essential knowledge, skills, and capabilities to keep pace with the rapid shifts in the global economy, thereby strengthening the sector’s efficiency and competitive edge.

Eng. Ayman Hussein, CBE’s First Sub Governor, and Dr. Abdel Aziz Nossier, Executive Director of the EBI, inaugurated the competition, which was hosted by the CBE, in the presence of the CBE’s leadership and senior representatives from the banking sector, and representatives from a number of Egyptian universities.

The competition comprises several stages, starting with qualifiers at the university level and concluding with the selection of the top 11 projects. The final qualified projects were incubated within a comprehensive one-month program at the DMZ Cairo business incubator, where necessary support and mentorship were provided to refine their ideas and enhance their readiness to the competition.

At the end of the competition, the winning teams received their awards. The FinFamily project, developed by students from the Faculty of Computers and Artificial Intelligence at Cairo University, secured first place for their innovative application – an integrated digital platform designed to enhance financial literacy among children aged 6 to 15 by combining interactive financial education and AI-powered training in both Arabic and English languages.

Meanwhile, the PayRamids project, submitted by students from the College of Computing and Information Technology at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (Smart Village branch), obtained second place. Their application offers an integrated system for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to manage human resources and payroll, alongside providing access to short-term financing through banks and licensed funding institutions.

The School of Business Administration at Nile University attained third place with “Pockety” project, which provides a platform through a mobile application and a smart bracelet. The solution enables children to set savings goals, monitor their spending, participate in interactive financial challenges, and conduct secure payments under parental supervision.

The three teams earned the opportunity to represent Egypt in the “Arab FinTech Challenge”, as part of “Jordan FinTech Festival 2026”, which takes place in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan from 21 to 24 September 2026, with the participation of five Arab countries: Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Palestine.

Noteworthy, Egyptian teams have maintained a strong presence and achieved outstanding results in the “Arab FinTech Challenge” over the past three years, securing first place in the competition held as part of “GITEX North Star”. In 2025, they reached a remarkable milestone by attaining both first and second places, highlighting the excellence of Egyptian students and their capabilities to compete regionally across the fields of FinTech and digital innovation.

The “FinTech Got Talent” competition is the first of its kind in the FinTech field. It was launched in 2023 under “FinYology” initiative, which aims to integrate students into a practical environment, equipping them with the necessary skills and expertise to keep updated with the global FinTech developments. It also focuses on nurturing their creative capabilities across multiple areas to meet the evolving demands of the workforce.

FinYology initiative currently encompasses 31 Egyptian universities, with 1060 projects developed with the participation of nearly 24,000 students. These projects receive ongoing support from Egyptian banks, with around 27 banks and financial institutions supporting the initiative over the past years. This support reflects the CBE and the banking sector’s commitment to fostering young talents, encouraging innovation, and promoting entrepreneurship in the FinTech landscape.