The Minister of Culture, Haifa Al-Najjar, sponsored the closing ceremony of the fourth edition of the Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition, organized by EntroGate with the support of Al Hussein Fund for Excellence. The competition involved students aged 12-17 from various Arab countries. The competition aims to equip students with entrepreneurial and innovative skills, which are essential skills for the future, and encourage them to develop entrepreneurial projects as solutions in various sectors.
In addition to Jordanian private and public schools, schools from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Palestine also participated in this edition. The closing ceremony was attended by the Chairman of the National Entrepreneurship Committee in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh Al-Zamil, as the guest of honor.
The competition is held annually in partnership with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, the Crown Prince Foundation represented by AL Hussein Technical University and the Ideas Factory, and several institutions from both the public and private sectors.
The final events of this year's competition took place over three days, during which Jordan hosted delegations and participants from various Arab countries who competed regionally. A total of 33 teams qualified for the finals out of 260 teams and 111 Arab schools that initially joined the program.
During the ceremony, the results were announced, and the winners and partners of success were honored. The top five positions were supported by Al Hussein Fund for Excellence for the second consecutive year. Raz Holdings Group also honored the top five positions by doubling the prize amounts they received. The first-place winners in each of the six sectors targeted by the competition were also recognized, with each sector receiving support from relevant government bodies.
The Executive Director of EntroGate and the Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition, Samar Obaidat, emphasized the importance of incorporating entrepreneurship and innovation into the education system, turning schools into incubators for student innovators and fostering an environment conducive to entrepreneurship. She highlighted the goal of graduating a generation of innovators and entrepreneurs capable of driving the national economy and creating job opportunities through their startups.
The sponsoring minister, Haifa Al-Najjar, stressed the importance of self-belief and collaboration among individuals, organizations, and countries to ensure success. She emphasized that dreams grow through learning and expressed pride in all the participating students. She called for the development of young talents and turning their ideas into real projects with products promoted on international platforms.
Dr. Ali Yaghi, the General Manager of Al Hussein Fund for Excellence, the main supporter of the competition, emphasized the need to instill creativity and innovation skills in students from an early age to help them discover their future interests and talents.
The guest of honor, Riyadh Al-Zamil, conveyed a message to the students, stating that there are no losers among the participants because one either wins or learns. He emphasized the importance of removing negative words from our lives and changing our perception of failure, encouraging students to enjoy the journey of success rather than focusing solely on reaching a destination.
