Ministry of Hajj and Umrah: The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program contributes to developing innovative solutions to serve the Guests of Allah

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, through its Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program, supports the development and testing of innovative products and solutions within the Hajj and Umrah services ecosystem, assessing their applicability, while empowering startups and connecting their solutions to the needs of service provider companies, as part of the Ministry's efforts to foster innovation, promote entrepreneurship, and elevate the services provided to the Guests of Allah.

 

The program aims to test and develop creative and innovative products, enabling startups to verify the feasibility of their projects and their potential application during the Hajj and Umrah seasons. It also seeks to enhance cooperation with service provider companies and relevant entities both within and outside the Hajj and Umrah ecosystem, creating opportunities to transform promising ideas and solutions into applicable products, in alignment with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Pilgrim Experience Program.

 

The program targets innovators, entrepreneurs, project owners, startups, service provider companies, as well as relevant entities within and outside the Hajj and Umrah ecosystem, through two main tracks: "Development and Innovation" and "Startups." The Development and Innovation track focuses on experimenting with and testing innovative initiatives and products, as well as developing solutions that address challenges and meet the needs of the Hajj and Umrah ecosystem to reach applicable products. Meanwhile, the Startups track focuses on exploring entrepreneurial solutions and services, connecting startups with service providers, and offering opportunities for cooperation and investment partnerships that support business growth and service development.

 

The 1447 AH Hajj season witnessed the testing and trial of a number of innovative solutions within the program in an actual operational environment. These included "Mobile Units," "Smart Golf Carts," "Smart Cabins," "Smart Chairs," the "Amanatak Digital Platform," and the "My Journey Stories" innovation. Their fields varied between field services, smart transportation, self-services, digital solutions, and enriching the pilgrim's experience, as part of the program's efforts to measure the readiness, efficiency, and potential utility of these solutions in serving the Guests of Allah.

 

The number of program beneficiaries to date has reached more than 761,000 innovators, entrepreneurs, and project owners. The number of agreements signed within the program's two tracks exceeded 145, alongside the execution of 522 evaluations during field and virtual visits. Additionally, 84 companies participated in the program during the past Hajj season, reflecting the expanding scope of participation in developing and testing innovative solutions and products within the Hajj and Umrah services ecosystem.

 

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah affirmed its continued support for the innovation and entrepreneurship environment, the adoption of applicable solutions within the Hajj and Umrah services ecosystem, and the empowerment of innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups to develop and test their solutions. It also emphasized strengthening cooperation with service provider companies and relevant entities to contribute to developing the services offered to the Guests of Allah and enriching their experience.