Five Talented Entrepreneurs from Palestinian Universities Head to Switzerland for Unique On-Site Work Experience.

April 8, 2023 - marks a monumental occasion for five ambitious AI and data science entrepreneurs from various Palestinian universities, as they embark on a life-changing journey to Europe as part of the inaugural Bridges to Growth program. This groundbreaking initiative, designed to enhance the skills of its participants and foster international collaboration, will see these talented individuals work within Swiss companies and laboratories after undergoing an intensive series of training sessions.

The Bridges to Growth program is open to last-year Bachelor's and Master's students, as well as young professionals who have graduated within the past five years. Participants will gain valuable experience working on-site at Swiss startups and research laboratories in the fields of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data science technologies.

The primary objectives of the program are to enhance the capacities of Palestinian graduates in an international working environment and create lasting linkages and trust between the Swiss start-up scene, academia, and their peers in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Partners of the Bridges to Growth program include Palestinian institutions such as the University College of Applied Science Technology Incubator (UCAS TI), which coordinates applications from all Gazan universities, and Swiss universities like the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) and HES-SO Fribourg, including their on-campus and affiliated start-ups.

Nizar Zaqout one of the five participants in the program, Nizar is a web developer who works as an instructor for Amazon web services said, "Frankly, it’s a new experience. As a citizen from the Strip, it’s my first time traveling, so it will impact several fronts, including culture and living. I will also get to acquaint myself with new people. I aspire to impact the incubator and the hub’s market in the outsourcing domain and culture for two things. Firstly, I wish to transfer the mentality there to the Strip, share the experiences I went through, and how the mechanism development cycle is functioning. Secondly, to develop an integrated team as there are many people of various work backgrounds like backend and frontend developers, data analysis, and cloud computing. So there’s a need to form an integrated team."

Basem Khalaf, majoring in artificial intelligence and data science and working as a network optimization engineer for Ooredoo Co said: "This 5-month experience in the company there will be sufficient to expose us to a new society and culture. I’m looking forward to a great experience for me and my community, particularly the Gaza Strip. It will also constitute an opportunity for cooperation and networking with the European market in general."

The importance of the Bridges to Growth program cannot be overstated, as it provides a rare opportunity for data science entrepreneurs in Palestine to access the Swiss tech ecosystem, known for its cutting-edge innovations and global impact. This exposure will not only enhance the professional development of participants but also contribute to the growth and upgrade of the Gazan tech ecosystem upon their return.