In cooperation with Orange Corners, the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship at Princess Sumaya University for Technology has formally launched the training camp for the 13th edition of the Queen Rania National Entrepreneurship Competition, in a strategic partnership with Zain Innovation Campus (ZINC) and the training partner NAFES (National Fund for Enterprise Support) to foster a culture of entrepreneurship and empower young entrepreneurs throughout the Kingdom.

The collaboration between Orange Corners, an initiative by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, iPARK, and the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship is making a valuable contribution towards improving the start-up environment in Jordan. A total of 614 participants and 170 qualified teams will partake in the entrepreneurship competition, which involves 15 training sessions covering various topics such as customer development, prototyping, value proposition, feasibility study, financial planning, product design, and team building.

Prof. Wejdan Abu Elhaija, the President of the University, said that the center aims to foster an entrepreneurial culture within Jordanian society and elevate the center to become a global hub of leadership through these international partnerships. She further explained that the 13th edition of the training camp is focused on presenting innovative ideas and projects, designed to enhance the entrepreneurial skills of the participants and assist them in developing their business plans. The camp also aims to raise awareness about potential opportunities in emerging technology companies, and identify emerging companies, ideas, and projects in the field of innovative and distinguished technology.

Mr. Harry Verweij, the Ambassador of the Netherlands, expressed his enthusiasm for inaugurating the Orange Corners program in Jordan, as it provides Jordanian entrepreneurs with a support platform and role models, as well as access to financial support and global connections to facilitate the expansion and growth of their start-up companies. He added that he looks forward to seeing the outcomes of the first cohort of the program.

Mohammad Obeidat, the director of the QRCE center, explained that the annual objective of the Orange Corners incubation program is to provide support to 40 young Jordanian entrepreneurs who have progressed beyond the idea stage, developed a minimum viable product, and have been operating for at least one year. He further mentioned that the incubation program focuses on enhancing skills, supporting business development, and creating networking, training, and counseling opportunities.

Mr. Obeidat added that the training camp focuses on several key fields, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), which expands the power of the internet beyond computers and smartphones to other processes and environments. Moreover, the training camp caters to mobile and device technology, targeting companies registered for less than a year, as well as individuals with entrepreneurial ideas and unregistered projects that have a business model or plan, along with an initial prototype.

The National Fund for Enterprise Support (NAFES), the training partner, has affirmed its dedication to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in the fields of administrative and financial development. In addition, the fund supports entrepreneurial ideas that contribute to establishing companies targeted by the fund. The fund has been and remains a key partner of the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship in providing support to individuals with entrepreneurial ideas.

Zain Innovation Campus (ZINC), the strategic partner of the Queen Rania National Entrepreneurship Competition, expressed its enthusiasm for hosting five events and workshops related to the training camp in its main branch located at the King Hussein Business Park. Which reflects ZINC's commitment to creating a supportive environment for entrepreneurs and innovators in the Kingdom.

It is worth mentioning that the training camp provides a customized training program to prepare entrepreneurs who have innovative ideas and start-ups to make their ideas eligible for the Jordanian job market. The objective of this special edition of the competition is to acquire knowledge on how to develop a business plan, meet with experts, exchange knowledge and undergo intensive training.