Egyptian Teen: I've Rejected Obama's Bid to Buy My Patent on Device That Turns Sunrays into Laser Beams

Egyptian teen inventor Mustafa Agha appeared on a local talk show after returning from Switzerland where, according to the show, he participated in the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva and won the gold medal. Agha said that he had developed a device that turns sunrays into laser, thus producing electric energy while desalinating seawater. He further said that someone in the U.S. Congress had offered him $10 million for the patent on his device and that President Obama had even contacted him "via Gmail." Agha said that he had rejected the offer because the development of his own country is a higher priority for him than the development of other countries. The show aired on Al-Hayat TV on May 14.

 

Following are excerpts

 

 

TV host Hala Fakher: We will start our show with student Mustafa Al-Agha, who won first place in the world in the Geneva Competition for Scientific Research, as well as a gold medal in "renewable energy." He also received a diploma from Geneva for his project, as well as special certificates from Portugal and Korea.

 

 

[...]

 

 

Mustafa Agha: I was fascinated by you and the number of certificates and medals you have gained. In what competition did you participate? Obviously, it was not just one competition.

 

 

Mustafa Agha: It was the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva. Over 140 countries participated in this exhibition. Allah be praised, I received the gold medal in the field of energy. I also received a diploma from Geneva, a special certificate from the largest organization in Korea, and a special certificate from the patent office of Portugal.

 

 

[...]

 

 

My project consists of a device that uses a large amount of sunlight or sunrays...

 

 

Interviewer: To produce energy...

 

 

Mustafa Agha: To produce electric energy, while desalinating seawater. We have heard of this idea before, but let me explain what's so special about it and what made it a patent.

 

 

[...]

 

 

I have used a completely different technology. It would be no exaggeration to say that my project... It's not me saying this. Other people have said that my project consists of several patents rolled into one. There are some aspects...

 

 

Interviewer: That's great...

 

 

Mustafa Agha: One thing is that I turn sunlight into laser.

 

 

Interviewer: Into laser?!

 

 

Mustafa Agha: Yes. No one has done it or even thought about it before.

 

 

Interviewer: How do people abroad plan to take advantage of your project? Did they ask you to move there and build your project for them?

 

 

Mustafa Agha: Of course. There have been several offers, and so on. The last offer came from someone in the US Congress, who offered to buy my project for 10 million dollars.

 

 

Interviewer: To buy the patent, you mean, as we see in the movies...

 

 

Mustafa Agha: President Obama also talked to me via Gmail. I can show you the correspondence if you like, and you can put it on screen.

 

 

Interviewer: Messages from Obama to you?

 

 

Mustafa Agha: Yes, from Obama in person, to me.

 

 

Interviewer: What do you want from our kids, Obama? Leave us alone! But you...

 

 

Interviewer: I turned down the offers.

 

 

Mustafa Agha: You turned it down because you are an Egyptian who loves Egypt. How can I help other countries when my country needs development the most?

 

 

Interviewer: You did it because you are first and foremost an Egyptian. You didn't care about the money or about being famous in America as much as you cared about realizing your dream here in Egypt.

 

 

Mustafa Agha: Of course.

 

 

Interviewer: I salute you, Mustafa.

 

 

[...]