Startups continue their active participation in the Conference and Exhibition for Hajj and Umrah Services 2023 (Hajj Expo 2023), organized by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, with the participation of more than 60 countries. The idea of startups events "Investor offer," presented by the Entrepreneurship Center of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, is based on offering fruitful partnerships between the private sector and entrepreneurs of small and medium sized enterprises in all fields, to increase the quality of services provided to pilgrims and Umrah performers, facilitate their arrival in Makkah and Madinah, and enrich their religious and cultural experience in a bid to realize the targets of the programs of the Saudi Vision 2030. Through the "Investor offer", the Ministry aims to stimulate a leading society in the Hajj and Umrah sector, create entrepreneurial ideas that contribute to enriching the experience of pilgrims and Umrah performers through non-traditional ideas, and increase investment opportunities for entrepreneurs in the system. The event saw 80% of advanced entrepreneurs accepted by the trilateral investors' committee for their innovative and unconventional ideas that created solutions to challenges that existed in the past, activating the leadership role of the Entrepreneurship Center in the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to enhance the role of SMEs in the Hajj and Umrah system to contribute to raising the quality of services provided to pilgrims, Umrah performers, and visitors in a variety of services and options that meet their aspirations. Undersecretary of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for the Services of Pilgrims and Umrah Dr. Amr bin Rida Al-Maddah noted that the event includes offering innovative quality options and services in the areas of Hajj and Umrah to several investors in the sector by entrepreneurs on a selection of investors by nominating 7 companies to showcase their projects and ideas to the investors' committee and compete for an investment opportunity in their projects. Hajj Expo 2023 saw the signing of some 400 agreements and partnerships, with international participation from more than 60 countries. The conference and exhibition also include 10 main sessions, 13 discussion panels, 36 workshops, and numerous events and activities accompanying the promotion of a culture of quality in providing Hajj and Umrah services, such as the Islamic Fair, the Hackathon Challenge zone and the startup zone.
