The Government of Jordan has unveiled two national projects centered on a series of hackathons designed to cultivate innovation in artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship. These initiatives are a core component of the government’s official executive plan for digital transformation, aiming to convert creative ideas from the nation’s youth into viable, productive ventures.
National AI Hackathon Series
The first project focuses on organizing a series of competitive national hackathons dedicated to artificial intelligence. This initiative aims to harness AI technologies to devise practical and effective solutions for pressing local development challenges across Jordan’s various regions and sectors.
Key areas of focus include tackling traffic congestion, addressing environmental pollution, and improving water resource management. The primary goals are to build national capabilities in AI and data analysis through hands-on competition, foster a culture of innovation, and accelerate the development of applicable prototypes that support sustainable development.
This project, which commenced last year, is scheduled to run until the end of 2027.
The Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation Hackathon
The second project involves launching a comprehensive Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation Hackathon across the entire kingdom. This program is structured in multiple phases to maximize impact, beginning with a call for participation targeting entrepreneurs and developers from all governorates.
Following the initial outreach, a training bootcamp will be held to build capacity and refine participants’ technical and entrepreneurial skills. The program culminates in the hackathon event, where teams will present their ideas, business models, and prototypes to a panel of judges.
Winning projects will be selected based on specific criteria and will receive further support, including connections to incubation programs to help fully develop their solutions. Key objectives include creating new digital startups, empowering youth with tech skills to generate economic opportunities, and boosting digital transformation in essential sectors like education, health, and smart cities.
Bolstering a Growing Ecosystem
These government-led initiatives are designed to increase the number of startups in Jordan and enhance their contribution to the nation’s digital transformation agenda. The projects aim to strengthen collaboration between innovators, government entities, and the private sector.
Currently, Jordan’s entrepreneurship ecosystem comprises approximately 450 startups, the majority of which are tech-focused or leverage technology to serve various economic sectors.
About The Jordanian Digital Transformation Plan
The Jordanian Digital Transformation Plan is a government-approved executive strategy aimed at leveraging technology to address national challenges and build a robust digital economy. The plan focuses on fostering innovation and developing local talent in high-growth fields like artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship to drive sustainable development and enhance public services.
Source: Alghad
