What is Hike-UP Project?
Hike-UP is an 18-month-long program designed to cultivate 20 innovative businesses along the northern segment of the Palestinian Heritage Trail. Each selected project will receive $5000 to help bring their vision to fruition. These creative ventures will not only enrich the experience of trail visitors but also enhance tourism services in the targeted regions.
Entrepreneurs participating in the program will benefit from a comprehensive array of business support services, along with access to dedicated workspaces and labs at the PTP. The program's objective is to furnish aspiring entrepreneurs with the requisite entrepreneurial knowledge, tools, and resources to translate ideas into successful enterprises.
The Hike-UP Program is a collaborative initiative between Palestine Technopark and Birzeit University, operating under the umbrella of the "Increasing Economic Opportunities and Improving Livelihoods for Communities along the Palestinian Heritage Trail'' project. This venture, spearheaded by the Palestinian Heritage Trail Association and funded by the Japan Social Development Fund in partnership with the World Bank, epitomizes a vision of empowerment, innovation, and sustainable economic growth.
Project Objectives:
The incubation program aims to establish a holistic, sustainable, and innovative environment and approach for young individuals or groups to innovate, test, and scale up ideas pertaining to tourism and eco-tourism. Its overarching goal is to create tangible opportunities for the successful establishment of innovative enterprises.
Target Audiences:
The program is geared towards youth aged 18-29 across the northern regions of the West Bank who exhibit a strong inclination towards active citizenship and entrepreneurship.
Target Areas:
The program aims to engage communities situated along the trail in the northern regions of the West Bank, primarily encompassing Jenin, Nablus, Jerusalem, and Ramallah. These areas comprise a diverse array of communities and villages often underserved in terms of development and support.
Answering the Call:
The call to entrepreneurship represents an invitation to action—an impassioned plea to embrace innovation, seize opportunity, and forge a legacy of impact. As the Hike-UP Program embarks on its journey of exploration and transformation, we extend an invitation to aspiring entrepreneurs to join us—to blaze trails, defy boundaries, and harness the power of entrepreneurship to uplift communities and inspire future generations.
