Deadline Date: June 20, 2026
Orange Summer Challenge 2026 is a flagship innovation competition organized by Orange Digital Center across 16 countries in Africa and the Middle East, designed to connect startups and young talents with real business needs and opportunities for growth.
The central theme of this edition is AI as a Business Accelerator, focusing on developing, testing, refining, and scaling AI solutions that address real business challenges through co-innovation between startups, young talents, and Orange business entities. The program aims to accelerate startup growth, support project maturity and market readiness, create deployment and scaling opportunities, strengthen technical and business capabilities, and provide immersive professional experiences for young talents.
Orange Summer Challenge 2026 marks a new stage in the competition by positioning itself as a strategic platform for collaboration between startups, talented youth, and Orange teams. The initiative seeks to transform concrete business needs into practical solutions while creating pathways for innovation and business development.
During a 12-week intensive program, participating startups and young talents will work closely with Orange teams to develop and improve AI-driven solutions that respond to real use cases. Participants will receive technical and business support from Orange Digital Centers experts, Orange employees, and international partners to strengthen their projects and skills.
The competition offers startups the opportunity to evolve their AI solutions according to real business requirements and gain access to deployment and scaling prospects. Participants can also benefit from collaboration with qualified young talents, tailored technical and business support, increased visibility through national and international events, media exposure through Orange channels, and financial grants for international winners to support the development and acceleration of their projects.
For young talents, the program provides an immersive experience within the startup ecosystem. Participants will work on impactful projects, discover entrepreneurial environments, develop technical, business, and soft skills, and strengthen their teamwork and adaptability. The initiative also offers visibility, recognition, and potential recruitment opportunities through participation in national and international ceremonies.
To participate as a talent, candidates must be available throughout the competition period, demonstrate strong motivation to innovate and contribute to technology-based solutions addressing business needs, and possess technical, entrepreneurial, or creative skills that can support project development and teamwork.
For more information, visit Orange Digital Center.
