Three technology start-ups from Jordan, Madagascar and Tunisia have emerged winners of the 2025 edition of the Orange Summer Challenge, an international innovation competition organized by Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA).
The awards were announced during the 3rd International Orange Summer Challenge (OSC) ceremony held on February 4, 2026, marking the culmination of a three-month acceleration program that supported young innovators across Africa and the Middle East.
A flagship initiative of the Orange Digital Center network, the Orange Summer Challenge helps young entrepreneurs transform ideas into technology-driven solutions with measurable social and environmental impact.
Hundreds Trained, Dozens Built
For the 2025 edition, 369 young innovators from 14 countries participated in the program. Through training, mentorship, coaching and access to technical expertise, participants developed 56 start-up projects under the “Startup4Good” theme.
The projects focused on key development sectors including environment, health, education and agriculture, with support from partners such as Amazon Web Services, Meta, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), The Hashgraph Association and Dar Blockchain.
According to Ben Cheick Haidara, Deputy CEO and Chief Operations Officer of Orange Middle East and Africa, the initiative has become more than just a competition.
“For more than 16 years, Orange Summer Challenge has been a true catalyst for talent and innovation,” he said, noting that many participants are leveraging artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies to address real societal and environmental challenges.
The Winning Innovations
The first prize went to SafeGuard from Jordan, a smart device designed to prevent workplace accidents through intelligent risk detection.
Second place was awarded to GasNika from Madagascar, which converts waste into biogas while producing organic fertilizer as a by-product.
Third prize went to DripIn from Tunisia, an AI-powered connected solution aimed at detecting water leaks and optimizing water consumption.
The three winning start-ups will receive financial, technical and business support from Orange MEA and the Orange Digital Centers, including a total grant of €50,000 to accelerate their growth.
A Broader Digital Ambition
Orange Middle East and Africa operates in 18 countries across the region and serves 161 million customers. With €7.7 billion in revenues in 2024, it represents the largest growth area within the broader Orange Group.
Through its Orange Digital Centers, the company says it aims to promote youth employability, technological entrepreneurship and inclusive digital transformation across Africa and the Middle East.
The 2025 challenge underscores a growing push to nurture locally developed, impact-driven innovation, positioning young entrepreneurs not just as participants in the digital economy, but as architects of it.
