Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Two student-led innovations from Saudi Arabia and Morocco received top honors at the INJAZ Al-Arab Young Entrepreneurs Awards ceremony, which was recently held in Cairo, highlighting how Arab youth are turning sustainability challenges into innovative and practical solutions.

The Alshaya Group – Starbucks Sustainable Business Award was presented to two outstanding projects: “Clear Flow” from Saudi Arabia in the high school category, and “Sparks” from Morocco in the university category. The two teams were selected from among 22 competing teams representing 12 countries, at one of the region’s leading youth entrepreneurship events, held under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Egypt .

Clearflow: Reducing waste from single-use cups

The Clearflow team, comprised of a group of Saudi high school students, addressed the issue of single-use coffee cup waste at Starbucks by proposing a returnable cup system linked to the EcoCup app . The app integrates with Starbucks' rewards program to track the use of returnable cups and encourage customers to adopt them. The team considered the entire lifecycle of the initiative, including dedicated cup collection bins and cleaning solutions, as well as recycling bins that incentivize the use of paper cups, with the aim of reducing waste more broadly .

Sparks: Adopting Sustainable Habits

The Sparks team from Injaz Morocco has created a digital platform that encourages customers to adopt sustainable habits while earning rewards. Their app allows users to scan a QR code after making eco-friendly choices at Starbucks cafes, such as recycling, using reusable cups, or collecting used coffee grounds. Through these choices, users earn "Eco Points" that can be redeemed for rewards via the Starbucks Rewards app, further promoting sustainable behaviors .

Mohammed Mahmoud, Senior Vice President of Starbucks at Alshaya Group and a member of this year's judging panel, said: "Clearflow and Sparks showcase how young people are using creativity to serve their communities. Their innovations are practical, meaningful, and aligned with the values we believe in at Starbucks. We are proud to recognize their creativity and support the next generation of changemakers who are shaping a more sustainable future across the Arab region. By giving them the tools and platform they need, we are witnessing the transformation of subtle sustainability challenges into viable and testable solutions."

For his part, Akef Aqrabawi, President and CEO of INJAZ Al-Arab, said: “The winning projects reflect how youth innovation can lead to sustainable solutions to the most prominent challenges in our region. Through our partnership with Alshaya Group – Starbucks, we continue to empower young people with the skills and confidence needed to turn ideas into actions. The diversity of the winners of the 2025 Young Entrepreneurs Celebration Awards also highlights how Arab youth in the Middle East and North Africa region are addressing challenges through technology, creativity and practical solutions, and contributing to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the national visions of their countries .”

In addition to the sustainability awards, the ceremony honored excellence in various entrepreneurship categories . “Qashour” from the Sultanate of Oman won the prestigious “Company of the Year” title in the university track, while “Ecorok” from Palestine won the “Company of the Year” award in the high school category, in recognition of its outstanding talent .

The "Product of the Year" award was given to "Rooh" from Saudi Arabia in the university track, and "Raikom" from the UAE in the high school track . In the newly introduced "Global Impact" category this year, "Catalyth" from Tunisia won in the university track, while "Pil Up" from Bahrain won in the high school category .

This year’s edition also featured a special recognition through the prestigious Innovation Award, which highlights the most prominent entrepreneurial projects, with “Link” from Bahrain winning in the university track, while the “Neuromov” project from Lebanon won the award in the high school category .

The Alshaya Group – Starbucks Sustainable Business Award is the culmination of a three-year partnership between the Starbucks Foundation and the Alshaya Group, in collaboration with INJAZ Al-Arab, through the regional “Makkani” program, which equips young people with entrepreneurial skills, sustainability awareness, and practical experience . In its first year, the program engaged more than 86,000 young men and women across the region .

Starbucks in the Alshaya Group

Starbucks® Coffee, the global coffee chain and roaster, operates in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and Central Asia as a licensed brand under the umbrella of Alshaya Group, a leading global franchisee. As the region’s premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee, Starbucks within Alshaya Group seamlessly combines global coffee expertise with local knowledge.

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