What began as an academic exercise has officially evolved into Jordan’s newest agritech venture. Developed by IT students at Ajloun National University, the “Smart Greenhouse” project has transitioned from a university graduation requirement into an operational startup, securing critical financial backing from the Jordan River Foundation to scale its hardware and software infrastructure.
Quick Facts
- Originated as a 2024–2025 IT graduation project.
- Secured financial backing from the Jordan River Foundation.
- Nominated for the UAE’s Sheikha Fatima Program award.
Merging IoT and AI for Smart Agriculture in Jordan
The core technology behind the Smart Greenhouse merges Internet of Things (IoT) hardware with artificial intelligence. Initially executed by students Ahmad Tawalbeh and Suhaib Hijazi under the supervision of Dr. Mohammed Al-Sawah, the system utilizes modern microcontrollers, including Raspberry Pi and ESP32.
The hardware creates an intelligent agricultural environment designed to monitor environmental conditions and analyze data in real time. This automated oversight directly improves crop production efficiency while rationalizing resource consumption, aligning with global agritech standards for sustainable farming.
To move the project from a controlled academic environment to commercial viability, student Majdi Tawalbeh expanded the software stack. By integrating advanced AI tools and deeper data analytics, the team elevated the system’s operational capacity, turning a conceptual prototype into an enterprise-ready model.
Securing Ecosystem Support and Regional Recognition
Capitalizing on its technical viability, the founding team secured a financial grant from the Jordan River Foundation. This capital injection allowed the team to procure industrial-grade equipment and deploy a fully integrated, real-world prototype. The funding catalyzed the project’s official incorporation into a specialized IoT and AI startup.
The venture is already gaining traction within the broader Middle East startup ecosystem. The team was recently nominated to participate in the Sheikha Fatima Program award in the United Arab Emirates, indicating regional interest in their agritech solution.
Locally, the founders recently presented their technology at the launch of the Green Business Incubator in Amman, positioning themselves for further institutional partnerships and venture networking within Jordan’s growing climate-tech sector.
Bridging Academia and Entrepreneurship
The successful spin-out highlights a growing trend of Middle Eastern universities acting as functional incubators for tech startups. Ajloun National University President Dr. Firas Al-Hanandeh emphasized that the venture reflects the institution’s strategy to connect theoretical computer science with applied economic output, specifically targeting high-priority domestic sectors like agriculture.
Faculty Dean Dr. Bajes Al-Junaidi reinforced this approach, noting that the university remains focused on enabling students to build productive, scalable companies that respond directly to national digital transformation and sustainability targets.
About Ajloun National University
Ajloun National University is a higher education institution in Jordan focused on bridging academic theory with applied market solutions. Through its IT and business faculties, the university actively supports student-led innovation, digital transformation, and scalable entrepreneurship across vital regional sectors, including agriculture and climate technology.
Source: Talaba News
