IdeasGym Launches 13th ”BlastOff” Exhibition at AUC to Qualify Egyptian Students for EUCYS 2026
Education technology entity IdeasGym has officially inaugurated the 13th edition of "BlastOff," Egypt’s premier national science and engineering exhibition for high school students. The event serves as the primary national pipeline dedicated to identifying young Egyptian scientific talents and preparing them for elite European competitions.
Geographic Diversity and Scientific Fields This year's exhibition is hosted by the School of Continuing Education at the American University in Cairo (AUC), featuring more than 200 research and engineering projects. The participants represent 18 Egyptian governorates—spanning from Cairo and Giza to Assiut, Luxor, Beni Suef, and the Red Sea—bringing together students from STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) schools as well as public high schools nationwide.
The 2026 cohort builds upon 12 consecutive years of operational history, solidifying "BlastOff" as a critical national track for youth innovation. The competing student blueprints cover diverse scientific verticals, including Artificial Intelligence, data science, renewable energy, biotechnology, healthcare, and environmental sustainability, highlighting the expansive scope of innovation among Egypt's youth.
The European Connection and Institutional Commentary Founded in 2014 by IdeasGym, "BlastOff" was engineered to deliver a rigorous peer-reviewed platform where high schoolers conduct original scientific research and defend their findings before specialized judging panels. The exhibition serves as Egypt's exclusive, official qualifying pathway to the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS). Launched by the European Union in 1989, EUCYS aggregates approximately 150 of the brightest young minds from over 40 countries annually.
The upcoming 37th edition of EUCYS is scheduled to be hosted by Kiel University in Germany from September 22 to 27, 2026. The winning teams from "BlastOff 2026" will secure fully funded travel and accommodation packages to represent Egypt at the prestigious German finals. Marwa Soudi, Co-founder of IdeasGym, commented: "BlastOff is not just an exhibition; it is living proof that when Egyptian youth are given the platform and the challenge, they produce research capable of competing at a European level. Since our founding in 2014, we have witnessed hundreds of students transform from passive learners into actual researchers showcasing their results to the world." The finals are judged by a distinguished panel of academics, researchers, and industry experts from both the public and private sectors.
