11/Aug/2026 / By Niveen Ishaq / in Youth & Innovation | الشباب والابتكار
Ashoka Arab World & Morgeana Genius
From Social Innovation to New Opportunities for Changemakers
Great ideas can transform communities. But creating lasting impact also requires the right ecosystem, connections, visibility and opportunities.
When Great Ideas Meet the Right Ecosystem
Across Egypt and the Arab region, entrepreneurs and changemakers are developing innovative responses to social, economic and environmental challenges.
Some are transforming traditional industries. Others are creating new approaches to women's economic empowerment, sustainability, digital transformation, cultural heritage and community development.
Yet an innovative idea alone is rarely enough. Changemakers also need access to knowledge, networks, partnerships, visibility, investment and markets that can help their ideas grow and create sustainable impact.
Ashoka and the Global Changemaker Movement
Ashoka is a global organization that has played a pioneering role in identifying and supporting social entrepreneurs developing innovative solutions to social, cultural and environmental challenges.
Its vision goes beyond supporting individual entrepreneurs. Ashoka promotes a world in which people are empowered to become changemakers and contribute to solving the challenges facing their communities.
Ashoka Arab World brings this vision to the region by supporting social entrepreneurs, building networks and helping strengthen the ecosystem for social innovation and changemaking.
Dr. Iman Bibars
A Pioneer of Social Entrepreneurship in the Arab World
At the heart of Ashoka Arab World's journey is Dr. Iman Bibars, Founder and Regional Director of Ashoka Arab World and Vice President of Ashoka: Innovators for the Public.
For more than three decades, Dr. Bibars has been a leading voice in social entrepreneurship, women's development and the empowerment of changemakers.
Building an Ecosystem for Changemakers
When Ashoka Arab World began its work in the region in 2003, social entrepreneurship was still a relatively unfamiliar concept across much of the Arab world.
Under Dr. Bibars' leadership, Ashoka Arab World has contributed to identifying, supporting and connecting social entrepreneurs and strengthening the wider ecosystem around social innovation.
Her work has placed particular emphasis on the role of women as innovators, entrepreneurs and agents of systemic change.
Dr. Bibars also leads Ashoka's Women's Initiative for Social Entrepreneurship (WISE), which focuses on strengthening the recognition and support of women social entrepreneurs.
Beyond Ashoka, she is a co-founder and Chairperson of the Association for the Development and Enhancement of Women (ADEW), reflecting a long-standing commitment to women's economic and social empowerment.
Discovering people with transformative ideas is only the beginning. Sustainable impact requires an ecosystem that enables those ideas to grow.
A principle reflected in the changemaker ecosystem
The Innovation Factory
One important example of this approach is the Innovation Factory Project.
The project was implemented by Ashoka Arab World in partnership with Alwaleed Philanthropies, with Ibtikar Khana School serving as the implementing training partner.
The initiative supported young social entrepreneurs in developing the knowledge, skills and business capabilities needed to strengthen their ventures and expand their impact.
Through training, mentorship, networking and financial support for selected projects, participants were able to transform promising ideas into more structured and sustainable ventures.
Connecting Changemakers with Morgeana Genius
The philosophy behind Morgeana Genius naturally connects with the wider changemaker ecosystem.
Morgeana Genius was created to showcase exceptional innovators, entrepreneurs, experts, creators, talents and changemakers and give their work greater visibility.
The objective is to create a bridge between talent and opportunity — connecting promising people and projects with companies, investors, strategic partners, organizations and new local and international markets.
Eman El-Geyoushi | Founder of Zowada
Eman El-Geyoushi is a social entrepreneur from Mansoura, Egypt, whose work combines Egyptian rural heritage, traditional craftsmanship, contemporary design and women's economic empowerment.
Through Zowada, women and girls can develop traditional craft skills while gaining exposure to product development, contemporary design and digital marketing, creating pathways toward sustainable income.
Zowada is a graduate of Ibtikar Khana School through the Innovation Factory Project and represents an example of how heritage and social entrepreneurship can develop into a sustainable business model.
Haidi El-Gendy | Founder of Cotton Town
Haidi El-Gendy is an Egyptian entrepreneur whose work combines digital transformation, Egyptian cotton, sustainability and circular economy solutions.
Through Cotton Town, she is developing stronger digital connections across the cotton and textile value chain while exploring opportunities to transform textile waste into sustainable products.
Her Innovation Factory journey also helped strengthen her approach to market analysis, networking and sustainable international partnerships.
Why Morgeana Genius?
Innovation does not belong to one sector.
It can emerge from technology, industry, agriculture, heritage, design, sustainability, social entrepreneurship or entirely new business models.
Morgeana Genius provides a dedicated space to tell these stories and showcase the people behind them.
By connecting talent with businesses, investors, institutions and markets, Morgeana aims to help exceptional ideas move from visibility to opportunity — and from opportunity to sustainable growth.
Building Bridges with Changemaker Communities
Morgeana Genius welcomes connections with organizations, universities, incubators, accelerators, social entrepreneurship networks and innovation communities that would like to nominate exceptional people and promising projects.
Great ideas deserve visibility. Changemakers deserve opportunity.
