Jordan Open Innovation Platform comes into being

AMMAN — The National Centre for Innovation (NCI) on Tuesday launched the Jordan Open Innovation Platform (JOIP).

The JOIP aims to be a national umbrella for all innovation related activities in Jordan, to organise and coordinate all the efforts within the innovation ecosystem, and also serve as an innovation hub that catalyses different services for entrepreneurs, according to a slideshow showcased during the launch. 

The JOIP is the first of its kind in Jordan. The platform gathers data from international resources, exchanges ideas and experiences, shares knowledge in a user-friendly manner and facilitates collaboration among science, innovation and technology entities. 

“Our mission is to empower the national innovation ecosystem by providing a stimulating environment for innovation, entrepreneurship and business sector,” Hussam Khasawneh, acting NCI board director, said during his opening remarks.

Khasawneh stated that innovation and creation “are the engine for societal and business development”, noting that Jordan has witnessed a noticeable improvement in the innovation sector during the past 10 years. 

The NCI is operated Under the Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST), according to a statement from the centre.

“We aim to serve not only as a national hub for entrepreneurs, but for international entrepreneurs as well”, Deya’ Aldeen Arafeh, HCST secretary general, said during the launch. 

Arafeh noted there are a lot of innovators and entrepreneurs at Jordan’s universities who need support and guidance for their entrepreneurship journey. 

“Jordan has crossed a major milestone in the innovation sector,” Philipe Ter Woort, European Bank for Re-concentration and Development Regional Director, said during the launch.  

Woort noted that digital solutions and data management are key tools for success, especially during the digital revolution, “we are witnessing right now”. 

“Supporting entrepreneurship mindset, decreasing production cost and facilitating financing services for youth are essential for encouraging youth to be innovative,” Marwan Refai, secretary general at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, said during the launch.

Refai noted that Jordan’s performance on global indexes is being monitored and analysed by a team at the ministry, as global indexes are very important indicators for international investors. He added that most of the indexes highlight the importance of innovation, youth and entrepreneurship.