1. Alaa Afifi
Age: 29
Occupation: Founder and CEO of Bekia
Nationality: Egyptian
Residence: Egypt
Category: Social Impact
Afifi launched Bekia in 2017 to allow users to exchange their inorganic waste—such as cans, plastics, food, oil, and metal—for cash over a mobile wallet or bank account. It has recycled over 10,000 tons of waste and collected more than 10 million plastic bottles. It has secured investment from Flat6Labs, OFT Wadi, Catalyst Fund, and Core Vision.