The Tank by Umniah Sponsors Jordanian University Students Entrepreneurship Competition

December 6, 2020 – Amman, Jordan: The Tank, Umniah’s business incubator was the official sponsor of Jordanian Universities Students Entrepreneurship Competition, which took place on the sidelines of the Global Entrepreneurship Week 2020, held virtually this year and organized by the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship between November 16 and November 22.

Students from 11 Jordanian universities participated in the competition, including teams from Yarmouk University, Mutah University, Princess Sumaya University of Technology, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, the Jordan German University, Al-Hussein Technical University, the University of Jordan, the University of Applied Sciences, the University of Science and Technology, Al-Balqa Applied University, and the Arab Open University.

Participants had access to a number of workshops and seminars presented by the students that showcased their innovative projects and ideas. A panel of juries, which included Umniah CSR & Innovation Manager Nicole Shahin, selected a number of projects based on a stringent set of criteria, which then moved on to the final round of the competition. Each university had nominated two teams, where the number of finalists reached 22 teams, of which three were ultimately chosen. First place went to Permula from the University of Applied Sciences, while Alfredo from the University of Jordan came in second, and Mu7taj from Mutah University won third place.

Shahin congratulated the winning teams, saying, “Umniah’s sponsorship of the Jordanian University Students Entrepreneurship Competition for the second time stems from its commitment to fostering an environment that supports innovation. As a leading regional incubator, The Tank will continue to work on advancing entrepreneurship and creativity among the nation’s university students, who are a constant source of hope and determination, and who possess the fortitude to find solutions to our country’s most pressing issues.”

Shahin went on to add that the Global Entrepreneurship Week is the ideal event for youth, offering them opportunities and advantages through the numerous workshops and seminars, which this year were streamed on Umniah’s social media platforms. The event also allowed participants to network with global business leaders and investors, enabling them to expand their customer base. The Global Entrepreneurship Week, according to Shahin, is one of the largest and most prominent global events that celebrate entrepreneurs, encouraging them to share their ideas, educating the youth on out-of-the-box methods of overcoming challenges as well as fostering income-generating projects that are successfully managed and marketed.

Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship Director Mohamed Obeidat stressed the vital role of youth, as well as their pivotal responsibility in driving the further development of the national economy. He added that competitions such as the one sponsored by Umniah promote a sense of teamwork and encourage healthy competition. He added that he was very pleased with the results achieved during the Global Entrepreneurship Week 2020, saying, “The Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship continuously works to strengthen the bonds of cooperation between institutions working in the Jordanian entrepreneurial environment, and focuses on developing and motivating the country’s youth in order to empower them to make a difference. This year, the event focused on the ability to produce and work efficiently, despite the limitations imposed by the global coronavirus pandemic.

As the strategic sponsor of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2020, The Tank held online sessions on various subjects, including one with the Al-Ahliyya Amman University on the importance of integrating efforts within the entrepreneurship ecosystem in order to support startups, as well as an introductory session on information security and cybersecurity. The Tank organized an online session on financing opportunities for startups and innovation, it was held in cooperation with Middle East University focusing on the Research and Innovation Support Fund and the role of the private sector in championing innovation, as well as a discussion session entitled “Women Empowerment as a Concept and Business Entrepreneurship as a Tool” in cooperation with SHEE Platform. Finally, The Tank held an online session to discuss a book that highlight youth success stories in the entrepreneurship and innovation fields.