Under the patronage of the Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, H.E Ahmad Al Hanandeh, Orange Jordan and Information and Communication Technology Association of Jordan (Int@j) announced the results of the Startups Landscape and Gap Analysis study, launched by int@j and StartupJo on behalf of Innovation Space project, a 3-year program co-funded by the European Union’s Innovation for Enterprise Growth and Jobs program – “Innovate Jordan”.

Over 3 months, the study classified 275 startups within 21 main verticals including e-commerce, health technology, fintech, sportstech, agritech, cybersecurity, AI, aiming to enhance the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Jordan. The results will be updated periodically and made available on int@j’s website.

Int@j stated that qualified startups should be based in Jordan, provide intellectual property-based products or solutions, and be in the startup phase whether registered or not to join the study. According to the study, 57% of startups are in 5 main verticals.

The study showed that 60% of the participating startups are in the growth phase, 25% have a minimum viable product, while the rest are between idea, pre-MVP and prototyping. Female participation in the startups reached 40%, and 35% of the startups joined an incubator or an accelerator.

Int@j launched the study with Orange Jordan’s support and an advisory committee, comprising the Crown Prince Foundation, Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, Ministry of Youth, Innovative Startups and SMEs Fund (ISSF) and Jordan Investment Commission.

The study’s result will contribute to paving the way for more successful Jordanian startups, as it helps understand the Kingdom’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and the main verticals that have future opportunities for growth and expansion. This study comes in line with Orange Jordan’s focus on the entrepreneurship sector for its active role in socioeconomic development and creating job opportunities for years to come.

The European Union funded the “Innovation Space” is a pioneering initiative in Jordan and a one-stop-shop for digital innovation and entrepreneurial support. It will introduce digital culture to the wider Jordanian public, foster digital skills, especially among women and youth, and promote and nurture entrepreneurship by identifying key opportunities for digital economic growth.