Dr. Mostafa Eldeep Leads NextLearn XR to Innovation Recognition at the Arab Innovation & Investment Forum (INNOVEST)
Cairo – Maii Abdo:
The NextLearn XR project, founded and led by Dr. Mostafa Eldeep, achieved a distinguished innovation recognition by securing third place in the INNOVEST Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, held as part of the 4th edition of the Arab Innovation and Investment Forum.
The forum is organized periodically under the auspices of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, and represents a leading regional platform dedicated to supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, and high-impact startups across technological, educational, and economic sectors.
The forum serves as a key regional hub for empowering entrepreneurs and innovators, fostering investment opportunities, and strengthening collaboration between emerging ventures, investors, and decision-makers, particularly in sectors that form the backbone of sustainable development in the Arab region.
The forum opened with a keynote address by Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, who highlighted the importance of knowledge-based innovation and the role of advanced technologies in modernizing education systems and building a competitive, sustainable economy. She reaffirmed the Egyptian government’s commitment to supporting innovative projects that contribute to national development goals and Egypt’s long-term vision.
Within this framework, NextLearn XR was honored for presenting an advanced educational model that redefines the learning process through Extended Reality (XR) technologies, including Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The project aims to transform educational curricula from traditional, theory-based formats into immersive and interactive learning experiences, placing learners at the center of the knowledge process.
The project relies on the development of three-dimensional models and virtual environments that enable learners to visualize, interact with, and explore information in depth, thereby enhancing comprehension and applied understanding—particularly in historical, technical, and practice-oriented subjects that are often challenging to grasp through conventional teaching methods.
NextLearn XR targets universities, schools, training centers, and educational exhibitions through a flexible, customizable model accessible via mobile applications, virtual reality headsets, and interactive displays.
The project is led by Dr. Mostafa Eldeep, Lecturer in the Film and Television Production Program at the Faculty of Design and Creative Arts, Ahram Canadian University, and Founder & Project Lead of NextLearn XR.
He also works as a Director of Photography and a 360° / VR / AR Content Creator, bringing together strong academic expertise and hands-on professional experience in digital media and immersive technologies—an integration that has significantly contributed to the project’s quality and practical viability.
In addition to ranking third, NextLearn XR received a package of in-kind technical and consultancy support valued at EGP 50,000, dedicated to accelerating the project’s development as part of the forum’s comprehensive support ecosystem for winning startups.
The Arab Innovation Forum Award is granted to scalable, application-ready innovative projects that integrate advanced technologies into educational and economic solutions with long-term impact.
The award provides beneficiaries with opportunities such as direct pitching to investors, incubators, and accelerators; complimentary exhibition space at the INNOVEST Innovation and Startup Expo; extensive media exposure through the flagship television program “Innovest Stories”; strategic B2B networking sessions; and access to funding, partnerships, and sustainable growth opportunities within the largest Arab innovation and entrepreneurship community.
The forum is held under the patronage of the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Central Administration for Youth Empowerment), with the support of H.E. Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports, and in partnership with the League of Arab States, the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Environment, the Central Bank of Egypt, and several national and regional institutions. The event brings together a distinguished group of entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers.
The competition’s jury panel included prominent experts and leaders in innovation and sustainability, among them:
Dr. Nanees El-Nakkouri, Head of the Central Administration for Youth Empowerment at the Ministry of Youth and Sports; Dr. Hany Ayad, Chairman of the Young Entrepreneurs Association and Executive Director of the Arab Innovation and Investment Forum; Dr. Saad Kamal, Director of Sustainability and Sustainable Finance at Banque Misr; Eng. Ahmed Mohamed Osman, Board Member of the International Council for Small Business; Ms. Brehaneh Tawfik, Project Coordinator at the International Labour Organization’s “Decent Jobs for Egypt’s Youth” initiative; and Mr. Khaled Al-Qaoud, Chairman of Al-Qaoud Foundation, Bahrain.
Looking ahead, the NextLearn XR team, under the leadership of Dr. Mostafa Eldeep, plans to further develop the project, expand into new educational domains, establish strategic academic partnerships, build a centralized learning platform, and train educational professionals in immersive learning technologies, with a vision for nationwide expansion followed by regional and international growth.
The long-term ambition of NextLearn XR, led by Dr. Mostafa Eldeep, is to become a leading Arab platform in XR- and AI-driven education, delivering a transformative shift in learning and training methodologies while exporting a successful Arab XR educational model to regional and global markets.
