EU, Orange Jordan launch first-of-its-kind ‘Innovation Hub’

AMMAN — The European Union (EU) and Orange Jordan inaugurated the “Innovation Hub” in the Orange Digital Village, as part of the “Innovation Space”, a three-year project co-funded by the European Union’s Innovation for Enterprise Growth and Jobs programme “Innovate Jordan” that aims to promote digital empowerment and innovation culture on a wider scale.

EU Ambassador to Jordan Maria Hadjitheodosiou, Minister of Youth, Mohammad Salameh Al Nabulsi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Jordan Telecom company/Orange Jordan Shabib Ammari, CEO of Orange Jordan Thierry Marigny, media representatives and public figures attended the inauguration of the Innovation Hub.

The Innovation Hub, a completely new concept comprising five Labs for Artificial Intelligence, AR, VR, Blockchain, IOT and 5G, aims to support youth, entrepreneurs and all those interested in exploring opportunities that drive growth and developing their innovative projects, according to a statement from Orange.

The Hub, the first of a kind in the Kingdom, represents an addition to Orange Jordan’s free digital programmes across the Kingdom and social initiatives at large.

During the inauguration event that featured innovation as a driving force, Hadjitheodosiou stressed: “The Innovation Hub will provide young women and men with the knowledge and tools to help them seek professional careers in the digital sector. This hub will become a playground for curious and ambitious bright minds". 

"It will provide access to Virtual and Augmented Reality technology, a 5G laboratory, blockchain technology, the Internet of Things, and many others. It is a glimpse into the future,” she added. 

“We are glad to launch the Innovation Hub that reflects Orange's role as a responsible digital leader in enhancing digital education through making resources, technologies, devices, and skills required in the global job market available, and supporting entrepreneurship,” Orange CEO said.

“More than 90 per cent of jobs have digital requirements today, and most jobs will require more advanced skills very soon. However, numbers show that more than half of the youth will lack the digital skills needed in the future’s labor force,” Marigny said.

The EU-funded “Innovation Space” project supports the expansion of Orange Jordan’s digital programs to include nine Community Digital Centers, five new coding academies, five FabLabs, eigth start-up accelerators and incubators, in addition to the “Innovation Hub”.

The programme introduces digital culture, fosters digital skills — especially among women and youth — and promotes entrepreneurship by identifying key opportunities for digital economic growth, the statement said.