In line with the “Rowad El Nile” initiative organized by the Central Bank of Egypt, the Faculty of Engineering at Mansoura University hosted an awareness seminar entitled “Entrepreneurship and How to Develop a New Business Idea.” The event was held under the patronage of Prof. Dr. Cherif Youssef Khater, President of Mansoura University, and Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Azim Mohamed, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs. The seminar was supervised by Prof. Dr. Sherif Massoud El-Badawy, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, and organized by Prof. Dr. Amira Yassin Heikal, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Engineering for Community Service and Environmental Development Affairs.

The seminar was coordinated by Dr. Samah Talaat Abou Zeid, Lecturer of Child Mental Health at the Faculty of Early Childhood Education and member of the Community Awareness Committee, with a lecture delivered by Ms. Amira El Sherbiny, Business Development Specialist at the Business Development Center, National Bank of Egypt, Mansoura Branch.

Held on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, the seminar provided a comprehensive overview for students on the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and the steps necessary to establish small businesses. Key topics included: the concept of banking and the range of non-financial services provided by banks, the distinction between business owners and entrepreneurs, the definition and societal importance of entrepreneurship, steps for evaluating and selecting a project idea, identifying target customers and distinguishing between needs and wants, using brainstorming to identify societal problems, determining the challenges faced by target customers, and methods for matching business ideas to real-world problems through interactive dialogue.

Attendees were also introduced to practical approaches for preparing business plans and business models, with explanations of the differences between them. The essential components of a business model were clarified, including the value proposition, customer segments, communication channels, customer relationships, key partners, key activities, main resources, cost structure, and revenue sources.

The seminar included a practical exercise using a proposed student project idea, followed by an open discussion on anticipated challenges and strategies for overcoming them.

The session concluded with an introduction to the services provided by the Business Development Centers at the National Bank of Egypt, as part of the “Rowad El Nile” initiative, highlighting the support available to entrepreneurs in the form of training, consulting, and financing opportunities.