Al-Hussein Bin Talal University Concludes Ma’an Entrepreneurship Hackathon and Honors Winning Teams

Under the patronage of Ma’an Governor Mr. Khaled Al-Hajjaj, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, represented by its Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, concluded the Ma’an Entrepreneurship Hackathon today, Tuesday. The closing ceremony was held on the University campus in the presence of University President Professor Dr. Atef Al-Kharabsheh; Mr. Hatem Al-Habahbeh, Director of the Development Initiatives Financing Unit at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation; Eng. Sami Al-Alimi, Director General of IRADA; Dr. Mahmoud Al-Rasai, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation; representatives of supporting and organizing entities; and a number of entrepreneurs and participating young people.

The hackathon was organized as part of the IRADA Program’s efforts to promote a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation among young people and empower them to develop their ideas into viable, scalable projects. These projects aim to provide innovative solutions to development challenges in Ma’an Governorate, create employment opportunities, stimulate local economic activity, and strengthen sustainable development across the governorate and southern Jordan.

In his address at the ceremony, University President Professor Dr. Atef Al-Kharabsheh emphasized that, in line with the Royal Vision calling for the support and economic and intellectual empowerment of young people, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University places significant emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation. The University achieves this by providing an enabling environment that helps students and young people develop their ideas and transform them into practical projects and solutions through learning, training, mentorship, and teamwork.

Al-Kharabsheh noted that true success extends beyond announcing the names of the winners. It also involves nurturing entrepreneurial ideas, following up on their progress, and transforming them into sustainable projects that create jobs and promote economic and social development. He affirmed that, through its Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the University will continue collaborating with national partners to support youth initiatives and foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in Ma’an Governorate.

For his part, Dr. Mahmoud Al-Rasai, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, explained that the hackathon represents an important platform for discovering and nurturing young talent and encouraging participants to develop creative solutions that address the needs of the local community. He highlighted the importance of partnerships between the University and national institutions in providing the support, training, and mentorship needed to develop entrepreneurial projects and enhance their prospects for success and sustainability.

A total of 115 participants registered for the hackathon through the online platform. Of these, 28 were selected to advance to the training and development stages. They participated in intensive workshops over five days covering idea development, business models, and project presentation skills. Subsequently, 10 participants qualified for the final competition, where they presented their projects to a specialized and independent judging panel for evaluation and selection of the winning teams.

The closing ceremony featured speeches by representatives of the participating entities, a presentation highlighting the success story of OrganicG, and the announcement and recognition of the winning teams. These activities aimed to showcase the entrepreneurial potential of young people and encourage them to continue developing their projects and transforming them into productive ventures.

The Ma’an Entrepreneurship Hackathon is the ninth hackathon organized by the IRADA Program across the Kingdom’s governorates. It was held in cooperation with Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, with the participation and support of several national institutions and partners, including Ma’an Development Company; the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship at Princess Sumaya University for Technology; Plan International, through the Ready for Tomorrow Project; the Al Hussein Fund for Excellence and Creativity; the Crown Prince Foundation’s Makerspace; Venture X; Dinarak; the ESCWA Technology Centre; the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation; and the Royal Scientific Society.

The hackathon exemplifies effective collaboration between academic and national institutions in supporting entrepreneurship and innovation, nurturing promising ideas, and empowering young people to capitalize on available opportunities to establish and develop their own businesses. These efforts contribute to strengthening the local economy and advancing sustainable development in Ma’an Governorate and throughout the Kingdom.