Programme launched to develop Jordan’s entrepreneurial talents

AMMAN — The “Jordan 12 Entrepreneurship Enablement and Development Programme” (Jordan 12 EEDP) on Wednesday organised its eighth annual networking evening in Amman. 

The programme will provide a fund of up to $20,000 for the participating firms, in addition to over 50 hours of intensive training for the participants, according to a statement made available to The Jordan Times. 

“Jordan 12 EEDP” programme is funded by Innovative Startups and SMEs Fund (ISSF) and organised by iPARK, an innovative catalyst, in cooperation with Impact MENA and ConsultUS.  

The programme, which has been tailored to the Jordanian market, aims to support the growth of Jordanian entrepreneurial firms.

The programme aims to address the gap between the market’s available investment opportunities and the sectors investors are willing to invest in, according to a presentation about the programme attended by The Jordan Times.

“Over 70 per cent of the Jordanian population are under the age of 34,” ISSF Managing Director Laith Al Qasem said during the introduction.

Qasem stated that the ISSF encourages youth to seek entrepreneurial opportunities.

“The ISSF has invested in 11 different and diverse investment funds since 2017. Our investments have contributed millions of dollars to the Jordanian economy, providing thousands of job opportunities to the youth,” Qasem added.

Qasem stated that although Jordan represents only 3 per cent of the Arab World, almost 27 per cent of the top entrepreneurial institutions are founded by Jordanians.

“We have invested in 200 companies, providing over 2,000 job opportunities for the Jordanian youth”, iPARK CEO Omar Hamarneh said during his speech.

Hamarneh noted that “iPARK’s investment has reached an 80 per cent success rate and has covered all 12 Jordanian governorates”. 

iPARK aims for regional and global exposure for the programme’s participating firms, Hamarneh continued.

“The key components to succeed in the entrepreneurial sector are the company’s readiness and the willingness to grow,” said Founder and CEO of Impact MENA Farhan Kalaldeh.

Kalaldeh noted that Impact MENA works as an incubator for participating entrepreneurial firms and also prepares both the firm and the entrepreneur to enter the market.