Under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya Bint El Hassan, President of the Royal Scientific Society and Chair of the Board of Trustees of Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT), Jordan celebrated the closing ceremony of the 17th edition of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2025, held under the theme “Building Together.” The event is organized annually by the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship (QRCE) at PSUT, in strategic partnership with Zain Innovation Campus (ZINC), and with the participation of 23 public and private universities.
The closing ceremony was attended by H.E. Eng. Sami Smirat, Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship; H.E. Dr. Raed Al-Adwan, Minister of Youth; representatives from the Al Hassan Science City institutions; and stakeholders from the innovation and entrepreneurship sectors.
In her speech, HRH Princess Sumaya emphasized that entrepreneurship in Jordan is not merely an annual event but a vibrant national journey that has continued since 2009. She added:
“I am proud to have supported this journey from its early beginnings and to witness how it has grown into a national force that strengthens creativity, capability, and opportunity—empowered by the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship and reinforced through close collaboration between universities, industry, and the public sector.”
Her Royal Highness highlighted Jordan’s steady progress toward a knowledge-based economy, driven by scientific research, technology, and innovation. She noted that His Majesty King Abdullah II has repeatedly stressed that fostering innovation and entrepreneurship is key to opening new horizons for youth and securing a prosperous future for all Jordanians. “Global Entrepreneurship Week is a true embodiment of this vision,” she said.
Princess Sumaya also emphasized that this year’s theme, “Building Together,” reflects a national spirit of collaboration—across ministries, sectors, and through partnerships between government, academia, and industry. She stated that building takes place when institutions encourage creative thinking and when young people are given the freedom and confidence to pursue their ideas. “With this spirit, we strengthen our economy, support our society, and enhance our resilience,” she added.
HRH further noted that—for the first time—the week’s activities extended beyond Jordan’s borders, with events held in Germany, Sweden, Malta, Thailand, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, reflecting growing international confidence in Jordanian talent.
Addressing the young entrepreneurs, Her Royal Highness said:
“You are the heartbeat of this journey. Your courage, imagination, and determination are shaping the Jordan of tomorrow. Hold on to your dreams, seek knowledge, work with integrity, and remember that collaboration is just as important as ambition. Your country believes in you, supports you, and is proud of you.”
Princess Sumaya also highlighted a meaningful initiative undertaken this year, where BDO organized an activity supporting youth in Gaza Hashim despite the difficult circumstances. The initiative provided financial literacy training to help build their capabilities and explore new pathways, reflecting the spirit of compassion, solidarity, and purpose that defines Jordan’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.
She concluded by expressing her gratitude to the national institutions involved—including ministries, public and private sector partners, universities, the Royal Scientific Society, and Princess Sumaya University for Technology—for their critical role in supporting the knowledge economy and entrepreneurship in Jordan.
Mohammad Obaidat, Director of the Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship, presented this year’s GEW achievements, noting that activities expanded to several Arab countries and included lectures, workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, covering themes such as ecosystems, education, inclusion, and policy. He added that over the past decade, the center played a significant role in solidifying Jordan’s global presence, leading to 60,000 success stories from across the Kingdom, with female participation reaching 60%. Notably, 63% of this year’s activities were organized outside the capital, Amman.
Tareq Al-Bitar, Chief Media, Communications, Innovation, and Sustainability Officer at Zain Jordan, commended QRCE for its continued efforts in organizing GEW. He noted that this global event has become a major annual milestone for young Jordanian entrepreneurs. He added that ZINC organized an intensive program of 40 activities across its branches in Jordanian universities and governorates, engaging more than 1,381 young participants. The sessions covered a wide range of topics, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, user experience design, digital transformation, personal and entrepreneurial branding, and interactive discussions with experts—all aimed at equipping youth with the skills needed to develop their ideas into viable, scalable projects.
The ceremony concluded with the announcement of the winners of the Jordanian Universities Student Entrepreneurship Competition, organized in partnership with the Amman Chamber of Industry.
First place: MargiClear – Jordan University of Science and Technology
Second place: heaLXR – Princess Sumaya University for Technology
Third place: Naba – Al Hussein Technical University