Under the patronage of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Jordan Payments and Clearing company (JoPACC), Governor of the Central Bank of Jordan, His Excellency Dr. Adel Al-Sharkas, and in the presence of representatives from the sponsoring banks of JOIN Fincubator —the Jordan Kuwait Bank, the Housing Bank for Trade and Finance, and the Jordan Islamic Bank—along with other guests, JOIN Fincubator, owned by JoPACC, successfully held the first national hackathon at the university level in the Kingdom titled: Fintech Rally 2024 – University Edition. This event was organized within the activities of the Future Fintech Disruptors initiative, launched by JOIN Fincubator. This competition represented the final phase of a series of free training sessions on “Empowering Financial Technology Innovations for University Students,” which was launched at the beginning of the second semester of the 2023-2024 academic year, aimed at enhancing innovation in FinTech among university students by challenging them to find a solution to improve the service currently provided on the instant payment system (CliQ/JoMoPay).
The competition saw the participation of 75 students comprising 18 teams from 10 different Jordanian universities over the course of three days, namely: the University of Jordan, the German Jordanian University, Princess Sumaya University for Technology, the Middle East University, Tafila Technical University, Yarmouk University, the Hashemite University, Al-Hussein Technical University, Applied Science Private University, and Philadelphia University. It is worth noting that the participating students underwent more than 30 hours of training and preparation prior to the hackathon to qualify them for this challenge, led by experts from JoPACC, Middle East Technology Strategies Company (TSME). The training included workshops on API, UI/UX, and pitching training to ensure the teams were ready to present their solutions to the challenge.
Ms. Maha Al-Bahou, CEO of JoPACC, expressed her pride in the event, remarking, “Hosting the Fintech Rally 2024 – University Edition hackathon is a pivotal move for advancing innovation and progress in the fintech sector among Jordan’s university students. It serves as a vital bridge connecting the realms of education and practical application in FinTech. Moreover, the national hackathon has been a source of inspiration, showcasing the high level of creativity and innovation among the participants. This event is a testament to our dedication to nurturing the forthcoming wave of FinTech innovators. We are committed to creating an environment and providing the resources necessary for these talented individuals to hone their skills and achieve their full potential.”
It is worth highlighting that this initiative solidifies JoPACC’s direction of engaging university students and empowering Jordanian youth with the needed skills, experience, and knowledge to become future leaders in this sector.
The competition wrapped up successfully, showcasing the talents of six teams that excelled in meeting the contest’s criteria, covering both technical and design aspects. Middle East University emerged as the winner in the technical category, while Al-Hussein Technical University topped the design category. Second place in the technical aspect was awarded to Tafila Technical University, and Princess Sumaya University was the winner in the design category. Additionally, Applied Science Private University came in third in the technical category, and Middle East University secured third place in design. These outcomes underscore the dedication and superior skills displayed by the contestants throughout the event.