Abdul Hameed Shoman Innovation Award 
   Applications are now closed

The Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation is pleased to announce the commencement of applications for the third cycle of the Abdul Hameed Shoman Innovation Award for the year 2024, building upon its inception in 2017. The goal is to cultivate an ecosystem that nurtures creativity, innovation, and productivity in Jordan, while championing Jordanian innovations that have a significant societal impact. recognizing the crucial role of innovation in empowering knowledge societies, driving economic growth, and addressing present challenges

This cycle of the Innovation Award expands to include both Jordan and Palestine, aiming to support innovators in both countries to tackle pressing societal challenges through technological and social innovation.

In its third edition, the AHSF-IA introduces two tracks to accommodate a wider array of innovation. The first track is Social Innovation, which includes solutions with significant societal impact, scalability, and real-world applicability. The second track, Deep Tech Innovation, highlights groundbreaking technological advancements with disruptive potential. By including both Social Innovation and Deep Tech tracks, the award aims to utilize technology and entrepreneurship to address complex societal issues and promote sustainable development.

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Award Fields

The award is designed to promote innovation in Jordan and Palestine, aiming to attract solutions that have the potential to create significant impact and drive positive change of societal importance, where innovation can lead to tangible improvements in people's lives in six distinct fields:

1.    Healthcare and Biomedical Technology.
2.    Labor Market and Economic Productivity Solutions
3.    Education Solutions
4.    Agriculture and Food Security
5.    Green Technology and Environmental Sustainability
6.    Advanced Manufacturing and Industry 4.0

Award tracks and stages.

In addition, the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation Innovation Award allows applicants with innovative solutions to advance to one of the following three stages and within two tracks.

Social Innovation Track
Stage 1: Proof of Concept and Prototyping 
Stage 2: Product Development and Validation
Stage 3: Growth 

Deep tech track:
Stage 1: Proof of Concept and Experimentation 
Stage 2: Product Development and Validation
Stage 3: Growth 

Phases of Evaluating Projects Submitted for the Award:

First Phase - Initial Screening: This phase examines the eligibility of the application and submission requirements and verifies the novelty of the innovation submitted compared to existing technologies or solutions.
Second Phase - External Project Evaluation: Qualified applicants will be categorized by topic and stage to present their ideas to expert committees in each field. (The top 40-50 projects will qualify, and each committee will qualify the best projects based on committee ratings and votes.)

Third Phase - Internal Committee Presentations: Projects chosen from the second evaluation phase will qualify to participate in the capacity building program (Deep Dive I). Qualified applicants will benefit from the training outcomes and results by refining their project pitches to provide a clearer understanding of their potential impact. (The top 20-35 projects will qualify, selected based on committee ratings and votes.)

Fourth Phase - Final Presentation: In the final evaluation phase, projects that have successfully passed all previous levels will be presented to the final committee. This committee will make the final decision regarding the winning projects of the award, which will receive financial support to implement their project proposal.
Since its establishment in 2017, the award has been a driving force for 17 Jordanian startups, whose products and services have demonstrated their efficacy, backed by a budget surpassing 2 million Jordanian dinars. Notably, recipients of the Abdul Hameed Shoman Innovation Award have transcended mere recognition, as their innovations have matured into thriving enterprises. Their solutions have addressed a myriad of challenges, significantly bolstering employment prospects across Jordan during both the 2017-2019 and 2020-2022 award cycles.

For detailed application guidelines for the award 
 
 

General Guidelines for Applying for the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation Innovation Award

Key Considerations When Applying for the Award

1.    Carefully read the Award Manual.
2.    Confirm your eligibility against the specified criteria.
3.    Familiarize yourself with the different tracks, fields, and stages of the award.
4.    Understand the prerequisites for each stage thoroughly.
5.    Carefully choose the best track, field, and stage for your project.
6.    Complete the award application forms online. Please note that Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation only accepts online submissions; paper forms or official letters will not be accepted.

Eligibility Criteria and Application Requirements:
Eligibility Criteria:
•    Applicant must be a resident of Jordan or Palestine.
•    Applicants must be available during all award phases.
•    Applications must be solutions within the award tracks and fields' scope.
•    Companies, organizations, or institutions must have a main applicant named, and a letter of authorization for this person should be provided.
•    Individual people may submit applications on their own behalf (i.e., not on behalf of a company, organization, or institution).

Application Terms and Conditions:
•    Applicant must possess all the Intellectual Property Rights for the project.
•    Applicant must be capable and fully responsible for the completion of all proposed actions.
•    Applicant must show a clear commitment to the proposed project and its future development.
•    All project activities must be conducted in Jordan or Palestine.
•    Projects should commit to a 10% cost share of the total budget.
•    For previous award winners, applications can be submitted for projects eligible for the next stage only.
•    Administrative expenses accompanying the project must not exceed 10% of the total support required.
•    The application must be filled out completely and correctly, otherwise, the application will be directly rejected.
•    All required attachments as outlined in the application system and/or the award manual must be provided.
•    Submitting more than one application per entity is prohibited, and multiple applications will be automatically rejected.
 
General terms and Conditions:
•    The grant recipient must not commence activities prior to official approval of the grant from the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation and signing of the agreement. 
•    The Foundation does not support individuals/groups/registered entities submitting different projects simultaneously.
•    To maintain objectivity and provide equal opportunities to all applicants, all inquiries regarding the application process must be sent in writing to the Grants and Innovation Department at Innovation.Award@shoman.org.jo 
•    Accurate and complete information must be provided during the registration process through which the foundation will communicate with project owners.
•    The Foundation has the right to apologize for providing support to any of the projects without stating reasons.
•    The Foundation reserves the right to modify, suspend or cancel the award at any time, for any reason, without prior notice.
•    By registering for the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation Innovation Award, you acknowledge that you have read and agreed to these terms and conditions.