Startopia Entrepreneurship Bootcamp: From Idea to Pitch Summer 2026

Ignite your inner entrepreneur at the Startopia Hackathon Bootcamp! This fast-paced, technology-enabled simulation invites aspiring teen innovators aged 15 and older to dive into a high-energy journey of ideation, customer validation, and prototyping. You will harness AI tools like Replit to build digital demos and unlock ProofTags in an investor-simulation environment. Whether you are starting fresh or testing a bold idea, you will gain practical skills and a digital portfolio to prove it.

Learning Outcomes: 

• Demonstrate a deep empathy toward animals, plants, and ecosystems.
• Recognize how human actions affect non-human life and planetary systems.
• Apply empathetic leadership to address real-world environmental and animal welfare dilemmas.
• Develop practical and compassionate solutions that support coexistence with non-human life.
• Communicate ideas about sustainability and empathy clearly and confidently.

Duration and Location

• July 19-22, 2026 (4 days)
• Sessions will run daily from 9 am to 4 pm
• AUC New Cairo campus
• Fridays and Saturdays off
• Official holidays are already compensated for with extra hours.

Fees

• EGP 4,500 (price including materials needed)
• The following discounts are offered:
  • 10% discount for siblings
  • 10% discount for AUC faculty and staff
  • 15% discount for AUC alumni

Who Can Apply?

Students aged 15+ years

Certification

All the boot camp participants will receive a certificate of participation from The American University in Cairo.

Transportation 

The AUC Bus Service is available for an extra fee. Details on the schedule will be shared before the program's start date.

Accommodation 

Accommodation is offered at the University Residences in case needed. 

About the Instructor

Louis Ravenscroft

Louis Ravenscroft is a founder of six companies and an education innovation expert with 12 or more years of experience designing startup education programs for Techstars, INJAZ and major universities. Ravenscroft is the creator of ProofScaling and Startopia, and he leads bootcamps and simulations that merge real startup methods with gamified learning for youth.

Refund Policy

A 100% refund of the program fees will be granted if the request is submitted at least two weeks before the course start date, or if the request is due to one of the following reasons:

• Course cancellation
• Medical withdrawal
• Visa denial

A 75% refund will be granted if the request is submitted within the last two weeks before the course start date.

No refund will be issued if the request is submitted after the end of the last working day (4 pm) and before classes begin, including the weekend prior to the course start date, or after the course has begun.