In collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Jordan, iPARK at the Royal Scientific Society (RSS), and in strategic partnership with Zain Innovation Campus (ZINC), the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship (QRCE) announced Wednesday the second cohort of Orange Corners Jordan and the Queen Rania National Entrepreneurship Competition 2024.
Registration is now open for the competition. The application process and eligibility criteria can be found on the center’s website: www.qrce.org and on the Orange Corners Jordan website: Orange Corners Jordan website.
Orange Corners Jordan is an initiative by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, implemented through QRCE at the Princess Sumaya University for Technology and iPARK at RSS.
For the second year, Orange Corners Jordan will support 40 Jordanian young entrepreneurs by providing training, and mentorship sessions to ensure capacity building, business development support and networking opportunities. As such, it aims to contribute to strengthening the Jordanian startup ecosystem.
The call for applications is open to entrepreneurs with a minimal viable product or startups that have been registered for less than one year.
Harry Verweij, the Netherlands Ambassador, stated, “Orange Corners Jordan (OCJ) represents an innovative approach to supporting Jordanian youth in developing, scaling, and accelerating their business ideas. The Netherlands is dedicated to empowering young and dynamic entrepreneurs, particularly women and youth, and providing them with the necessary tools to establish successful businesses. Through our development cooperation, the Netherlands supports Jordan’s private sector, offering Jordanian youth opportunities to build a bright future.”
The President of the University, Prof. Wejdan Abu Elhaija, highlighted that Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship, affiliated with the university, has been dedicated to fostering an entrepreneurial culture in Jordanian society since its establishment.
Through its international partnerships, the center aims to create opportunities for learning about innovative ideas, projects, and startups, as well as foster entrepreneurial skills among participants and support them in developing business plans across various fields, she added.
Mohammad Obaidat, the director of the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship at the university, said: “The competition was designed to empower entrepreneurs, especially young people, and those who own unregistered projects that have a business model or business plan, in addition to an initial model. Registered projects should not be more than one year old.”
Entrepreneurs from throughout the Kingdom are invited to participate, to foster a culture of entrepreneurship and enhance the spirit of innovation. Participants are encouraged to present their innovative ideas and projects in the fourteenth edition of the 2024 competition, which is designed to develop their entrepreneurship skills, assist in the development of their business plans, and provide insights into innovative technology projects, Obaidat pointed out.
Serene Duwayri, the Director of Incubation at iPARK, expressed her excitement for iPARK’s involvement for the second year in a row, and her interest in meeting the next wave of entrepreneurs that will be incubated.
Tareq Bitar, Director of Corporate Communications and Sustainability at Zain Jordan, emphasized that this program offers a great opportunity for Jordanian entrepreneurs to enhance their abilities, strengthen their businesses, and advance their ideas.
He also commended the success of the program’s first edition, which empowered many young participants. He expressed his satisfaction with the strategic partnership between Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship at Princess Sumaya University for Technology and Zain Innovation Campus (ZINC), highlighting their continued support for innovators and entrepreneurs in the kingdom.
It is worth noting that Orange Corners supports young entrepreneurs in growing their businesses through incubation and acceleration programs. Currently operational in over 15 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, Orange Corners in Jordan was established in 2023 and is now entering its second year of implementation.