Five Egyptian university teams will compete in the Shell Eco-marathon (SEM) Asia-Pacific and Middle East 2025 regional competition, taking place for the first time in the Middle East at the Lusail International Circuit in Doha, from 8-12 February.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the SEM, a global academic programme challenging students to design, build, and test ultra-energy-efficient vehicles. Egyptian universities have participated since 2013, with hundreds of students benefiting from the programme. Previous Egyptian teams have won awards including the Innovation, Safety, and Communication Awards.

Dalia Elgabry, Vice President and Country Chair for Shell Egypt, said: “At Shell, we are committed to empowering young innovators and driving sustainable solutions for a cleaner energy future. The Shell Eco-marathon embodies this mission by encouraging students to collaborate, persevere, and innovate.”

Past participants Menna and Zeyad, from Cairo and Helwan Universities respectively, highlighted the programme’s impact. They stated: “This competition pushes us to innovate beyond limits and prepares us for real-world challenges in energy and sustainability.”

Shell Egypt’s support for SEM is part of its broader social investment initiatives focused on developing future leaders to address global energy challenges. In 2024, Shell Egypt provided five NXplorers workshops to support the SEM teams.

The SEM, a leading student engineering competition, has fostered innovation and collaboration for 40 years. The programme develops not only technical skills but also essential attributes such as teamwork, leadership, and communication, crucial for impactful change in the energy sector. Shell Egypt is confident that the participating Egyptian Teams will demonstrate their ingenuity and commitment to a sustainable future.