JEDDAH – Piloted in 2013, the Arab Mobile Challenge is a social, non-profit program that was launched to support Arab youth in their entrepreneurial journey through a competition with a simple format designed to support mobile and tech entrepreneurs through a series of simple steps. With relatively low barriers to entry and high accessibility, the mobile app market offers a lucrative opportunity for young, ambitious entrepreneurs with innovative ideas to try to secure a piece of this growing pie. In addition to this, it has also proved to be It an extremely simple and effective approach to teaching young people the skills and path to business start-up. In 2013, the Arab Mobile App Challenge measured more than 15 percent of participants who continued to semi-final stages are legal businesses that are operational, creating revenues and hiring others.
To reach the whole Arab region, AMAC 2014 will be introducing a mix between physical and web based activities and acceleration to make it accessible wherever they are to take advantage of the learning opportunity and access to tools. Through a simple registration process on www.arabmobilechallenge.com, teams will be receiving up to date information on physical events and web based workshops for them to attend whatever is most convenient. With over 1000 participants in 2013, AMAC in 2014 is expecting to double this number.
The program of Arab Mobile App Challenge is the only Arab Mobile application competition organized at the regional level in cooperation with Mobile World Capital based in Barcelona.
Leading regional organizations have commended the benefits of this program at a micro and macro level, and have given it huge support to continue its journey. These partners include Pearson, IE Business School, Mada, Oasis500, Supcom, Wamda, MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab Region, Potential, In5, The Space, Qatar Business Incubation Center, Bader Lebanon, Touch Lebanon, Zain Kuwait, Zain Jordan, Coworking+961, the Queen Rania Centre for Entrepreneurship, and Int@j Jordan to name a few.
Mohammed Obidat the Executive Director of Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship, said: "The results of the previous session and the size and quality of participation made by young people from different age groups, and the passion and the ability of the younger generation and their eagerness to repeat the Jordanian success stories, which mostly began as innovative ideas of entrepreneurs and made applicable once a suitable environment is provided to them. Here comes our role as a leading institute to support innovators and provide favorable conditions with technical and logistical support to help them translate their ideas and put them into effect."
Winners are eligible for either financial prizes of the values of $25,000, $15,000 and $10,000 respectively for first, second and third positions, or the opportunity for a fully paid invitation to compete at the Global App Challenge in Barcelona, also founded by the Applied Innovation Institute (AII), and hosted by the Mobile World Congress. The opportunity to be part of the world's largest mobile event is a once in a lifetime for many, and presents many benefits for a start up in this space - from access to a global network, to exposure to success stories and potential partners. — SG
