Zain Jordan – one of the first private-sector companies in the Kingdom to embrace the concept of entrepreneurship-celebrates the 10th anniversary of its innovation campus, ZINC “Zain Innovation Campus", to become one of the Kingdom's leading incubators and accelerators. Established in 2014, ZINC was officially inaugurated by His Majesty King Abdullah II and Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah at the MENA ICT Forum.
Reflecting on Zain's decade of innovation, Tareq Al Bitar, Zain Jordan's Corporate Communications, Innovation, and Sustainability director, emphasized ZINC's impactful journey. “ZINC started as a vision—a place to nurture young Jordanian talent and empower them to turn entrepreneurial ideas into feasible businesses," Al Bitar explained. “It's now a home and hub for Jordanian entrepreneurs, startups, and anyone involved in Jordan's entrepreneurship ecosystem. Over the past ten years, ZINC has shaped the local and regional market and has become a prominent center for innovation and entrepreneurship."
Al Bitar highlighted ZINC's achievements with some impressive numbers: today, the campus has expanded to eight locations across Jordan, five of which are within Jordanian universities. The branches at Hashemite University, Yarmouk University, Mutah University, and Al-Balqa Applied University bring ZINC's resources directly to students, promoting a culture of innovation and fostering essential skills, especially in technology. These locations host regular training sessions and workshops to complement students' academic paths.
Since its inception, ZINC has hosted over 6,000 events that address critical topics for students, young entrepreneurs, and Jordanian startups, with a total reach of more than 360,000 participants. ZINC has supported 246 Jordanian startups in various fields, guiding them from initial concept through to commercial success. To support these efforts, ZINC has partnered with over 142 strategic collaborators and partners, including foundations, universities, accelerators, and investment funds, uniting resources to support Jordan's entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Al Bitar pointed to key partnerships that have been vital to ZINC's growth, such as the longstanding collaboration with the Crown Prince Foundation (CPF). This partnership includes support for programs like "42 Amman" in computer science and coding and the "Makerspace" initiative, aligning with the Crown Prince's vision of youth empowerment. Additionally, ZINC's collaboration with the Public Security Directorate backs innovation among its personnel, and the campus works closely with The Queen Rania Center for Entrepreneurship at Princess Sumaya University to support initiatives like The Queen Rania Award for Education Entrepreneurship.
ZINC's significant achievements include the recent launch of the initial report on the “Jordanian Startup Ecosystem" for 2018–2023. The report—the first of its kind in Jordan—presents in-depth data on the local entrepreneurship landscape, offering decision-makers a clear view of the sector's progress and challenges.
Among ZINC's flagship initiatives is “Zain Al Mubadara" program, which helps young entrepreneurs transform their ideas into successful startups. The program involves intensive training, guidance, and funding, with participants gaining access to networking opportunities, conferences, and workshops both in Jordan and internationally. So far, six editions of the program have been launched, with the latest one preparing to open for applications soon, where ZINC users can register on Zain Innovation Campus website zinc.jo to take advantage of its services.
Looking ahead, Al Bitar shared ZINC's vision for the next decade: to expand into a regional center for innovation and entrepreneurship, supporting entrepreneurs beyond Jordan's borders through stronger regional and international partnerships. ZINC plans to focus on emerging technologies, including AI and IoT, fostering a generation of innovators ready for the digital future. ZINC will continue strengthening its investor network and strategic partnerships to offer Jordanian startups sustainable funding and global expansion opportunities.