Arabian Post Staff -Dubai
Three sessions were held in Amman, Irbid and Aqaba under the title Private Sector Roundtable – PASS Project, bringing together startups, corporate representatives and ecosystem partners to examine how young businesses can secure market access, supply-chain entry points and commercial partnerships. The discussions focused on practical barriers facing entrepreneurs, including weak buyer links, limited visibility with larger companies and the difficulty of converting early-stage products into sustainable business contracts.
PASS, formally known as Private Sector Access to Support Startups, is being implemented through the Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Economic Development and Employment project. The project is carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship and co-funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the European Union in Jordan.
Orange Jordan’s entrepreneurship arm, BIG by Orange, is playing a central role in the initiative, using its startup network and private-sector reach to support participating ventures. The programme is designed to help 130 startups through October 2026, with support centred on skills development, targeted training, mentorship and structured engagement with companies that may become clients, suppliers, distributors or strategic partners.
The roundtables mark a shift from conventional startup training towards market-driven support. Rather than focusing only on incubation, the sessions sought to identify where young companies can fit into existing value chains and how larger firms can engage startups without treating them as peripheral innovation showcases. For entrepreneurs, that distinction is important because access to procurement channels, pilot contracts and repeat customers often matters more than visibility at startup events.
Jordan’s entrepreneurship sector has long benefited from a strong pool of educated young people, a growing digital-services base and policy support for technology-led growth. Yet many startups still struggle to scale beyond early customers. Funding gaps, fragmented support services, narrow domestic demand and limited commercial links with larger firms have slowed the transition from promising ideas to viable employers.
That challenge is closely tied to the labour market. Jordan continues to face high unemployment, with joblessness above 21 per cent in 2025 and youth unemployment close to 39 per cent. Female unemployment remains significantly higher than male unemployment, underlining the need for inclusive programmes that create pathways into work beyond the public sector and traditional employment channels.
PASS is positioned within that broader economic context. By improving startup readiness and helping entrepreneurs engage private-sector buyers, the programme aims to increase productivity, raise sales and improve the capacity of young companies to employ people. The approach reflects a growing policy preference for entrepreneurship programmes that measure success not only by the number of startups trained but also by revenue growth, business linkages and durable jobs.
Jordan’s digital transformation strategy for 2026–2028 also gives the initiative added relevance. The strategy places technology, innovation, digital inclusion and private-sector participation at the centre of economic development. Startups operating in digital services, green solutions, business services and technology-enabled sectors are viewed as potential contributors to productivity and employment, particularly outside the capital.
The inclusion of Irbid and Aqaba alongside Amman indicates an effort to spread entrepreneurship support beyond the main business centre. Amman remains Jordan’s dominant hub for technology, finance and corporate headquarters, but governorates such as Irbid and Aqaba offer different opportunities linked to education, logistics, tourism, trade and services. Expanding support across governorates can help reduce regional disparities if programmes are matched with actual market demand.
Private-sector participation will be central to the programme’s effectiveness. Startups commonly need clearer procurement rules, faster feedback from corporate partners and realistic pilot opportunities. Larger companies, in turn, need confidence that startups can meet standards on delivery, compliance, cybersecurity, pricing and after-sales support. Roundtables can help bridge that gap, but sustained follow-up will determine whether discussions become contracts.
Orange Jordan’s involvement also reflects the growing role of telecom operators in entrepreneurship ecosystems. Telecom groups increasingly support startups through accelerators, digital centres, mentorship, connectivity, cloud services and access to business networks. For Orange Jordan, the PASS programme fits with its broader positioning as a digital-economy partner and supporter of youth skills, entrepreneurship and community development.
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