Int@j prepares ‘Startup Village’ for MENA ICT forum

AMMAN — The Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan (Int@j) in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, has officially started to prepare a dedicated area within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) ICT Forum 2022, under the name “Startup Village”.

Under the Patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah, the ninth edition of Middle East and North Africa ICT Forum will be held on November 16-17 at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre in the Dead Sea, according to a statement from organisers.

Int@j stated that the Startup Village will be divided into four sections. The first includes product exhibitions and showcasing the innovative solutions of startups, the second will involve workshops and educational sessions with the entrepreneurs. 

The third will feature discussions and “fireside chats” with representatives of various global and regional entrepreneurship ecosystems, and the last will be a dedicated one-to-one meeting point for investors and startups called the “Investor Lounge”.

Int@j revealed that more than 67 representatives of 50 investment funds from the Middle East region will be participating in sessions and dialogues at the forum, and at the “Startup Village” in particular. 

The participating investment funds hail from countries including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Oman, Kuwait, Egypt, Turkey and many others, alongside with the Chinese Investment Fund operating in the Middle East and North Africa.

In addition, Int@j highlighted that a competition for startups will be taking place in parallel, where startups will be pitching their products or services to the public and a voting session will be taking place, read the statement. 

The results of the voting will be announced during the closing session by the end of the forum on the second day, Nov 17, 2022.

In addition to more than 80 senior officials, professionals and experts from 28 different countries who will speak at the event, more than 35 speakers will participation in sessions within the “Startup Village”.

The Middle East and North Africa region has recorded more than 300 investments in startups during the first half of this year, with a volume of $1.8 billion. 

Startups operating in the financial technology sector accounted for the largest share of those investments, followed by the e-commerce sector, according to the statement.