Alexandria’s creative scene has long been known for its art, culture, and sea breeze that sparks ideas, but a new kind of creativity has been cooking quietly behind laptop screens and pixelated worlds. Over the past two years, youth-led game jams have transformed into a symbol of digital experimentation and community-driven innovation, powered entirely by young minds.
The Rise of Open Youth Game Jams
In 2024, Counterspell Alexandria became the first open youth game jam in Egypt, gathering young developers, artists, and storytellers to build original games from scratch. The event was executed under Revivals Egypt, supported by the global nonprofit Hack Club & Newgrounds, and marked a turning point for independent creativity in the local youth ecosystem.
Counterspell wasn’t just about making games - It was about creating a space where imagination, collaboration, and technical skill could collide freely. Participants learned game design, coding, and storytelling, while also learning the deeper skills of teamwork, problem-solving, and creative leadership.
Just a year later, Daydream Alexandria (2025) built upon that same foundation. It was part of a worldwide youth initiative - “a game jam for high schoolers, organized by high schoolers in over 100 cities.” Supported once again by Hack Club and other supporters like Goethe-Institut Alexandria, AOSUS. Daydream invited young creators to dream, code, and publish their games online using open-source engines like Godot and platforms like itch.io.
In Daydream, participants learnt about development and expression. Each project became a reflection of youth voice, identity, and curiosity. Many had never coded before, yet by the end of the jam, they had working prototypes to share with the world.
Why These Jams Matter
What makes youth-led game jams so powerful isn’t just the coding. It’s the culture that forms around them. An ecosystem of experimentation where failure is part of the process, and learning happens through doing.
In a world where innovation is often limited to startups and corporate incubators, these jams offer something purer and more accessible: community-led creativity. No investors & No hierarchies. Just youth, tools, and a shared mission to create something original.
That spirit of self-starting innovation is what makes Alexandria’s game jams stand out. They don’t just produce games; they produce creators - Young Egyptians who can think critically, design solutions, and collaborate across disciplines.
Flux: The Home of Youth Innovation
Both Counterspell and Daydream Alexandria found their home at Flux Coworking Space, one of the city’s most forward-thinking community hubs. Nestled in the heart of Alexandria, Flux has quietly become a magnet for creativity, hosting initiatives in youth empowerment, climate action, gender equality, entrepreneurship, and digital innovation.
Flux offers a physical space and an atmosphere where experimentation feels natural. Its openness to independent ideas and nontraditional projects makes it a vital part of the city’s creative and civil society ecosystem.
As one of the few coworking spaces in Egypt actively supporting youth-led civic innovation, Flux has shown what a real innovation space can be: a platform that nurtures both the technical and human side of creativity.
Looking Ahead: The New Alexandria
If Counterspell was the spell of curiosity, and Daydream was the dream of expression, then what comes next may well define a new generation of creators in Alexandria. The momentum is here, and it’s powered by youth who are not waiting for permission to build.
The city’s innovation story is no longer just about startups. It’s about communities, collaboration, and imagination. From the glow of presentation screens at Flux to the excitement of upload day on itch.io, Alexandria’s young developers are proving that the future of innovation isn’t imported. It’s being coded right here.
Article by Flonga.org — the digital youth platform for creative innovation, culture, and grassroots impact.
