Jordan and digital entrepreneurship: Clear ambition… but the environment still needs someone to connect skill with opportunity.

In the public discourse surrounding entrepreneurship in Jordan, there is much talk about ideas, youthful enthusiasm, and the flourishing digital economy. However, a reading of the GEM 2025/2026 report reveals that the most crucial issue is not the abundance of ambition itself, but rather the ability of the entrepreneurial ecosystem to transform this ambition into viable and scalable projects. The report clearly articulates this idea on a global scale: entrepreneurship is not simply an individual decision, but rather the product of a system encompassing finance, education, infrastructure, policies, culture, and the ability to effectively utilize digital tools. For Jordan, the picture presented by the report is not one of weakness, but rather one of stagnation: society possesses a considerable degree of awareness, confidence, and intention, but the results on the ground do not rise to the same level. The report indicates that approximately seven out of ten adults in Jordan believe they have the skills and experience to start their own business, and that about three-fifths see good opportunities to start a business in their local environment. Furthermore, more than half of adults know someone who has recently launched a business. These are not indicators of a passive society, but rather indicators of a society that views entrepreneurship as a realistic and attainable option, both in terms of the idea and the inherent capabilities. On the other hand, the report reveals a significant paradox: 59% of those who see promising opportunities don't launch their businesses due to fear of failure. Here, the problem isn't a lack of opportunities, but rather the high psychological, financial, and procedural costs of failure. When fear is so pervasive, the environment not only penalizes those who fail but also discourages those who could have succeeded in the first place. Therefore, one of the most important questions for understanding the Jordanian landscape isn't: Do we have potential entrepreneurs? But rather: Why do so many stop before launching? This hesitation doesn't arise in a vacuum. The report indicates that more than half of adults in Jordan reported a decrease in their household income in 2025, placing entrepreneurship within a challenging economic context. In such a context, many don't start their projects driven by pure innovation, but rather by the search for income and stability. It's therefore unsurprising that the report states that more than eight out of ten new entrepreneurs in Jordan agree that their motivation is "to earn a living because jobs are scarce," and that a similar percentage see entrepreneurship as a path to higher income or greater wealth. These figures don't negate ambition, but they redefine it: entrepreneurship here isn't always a luxury, but often a response to a scarcity of alternatives. From a digital perspective, the report carries a crucial message for Jordan's environment. It states that more than half of new entrepreneurs expect to use more digital technology to sell their products and services in the next six months. This indicates that digital transformation is no longer a distant future concept, but has become part of the expected behavior of new businesses. In a world where the report clarifies that digital tools and artificial intelligence have become a crucial element of competitiveness, this Jordanian readiness represents a real opportunity, especially if linked to a suitable support infrastructure. The global report clearly emphasizes that gaps in funding, skills, and technological awareness can create a two-tiered entrepreneurial economy: one tier capable of using digital tools to expand, and another tier that remains confined to limited, low-growth activity. However, the digital aspect, while important, is not enough on its own. Jordan’s profile in the report shows that access to entrepreneurial finance scored 4.0, and government policy support and suitability scored 4.4. However, the report also noted the continued challenges in financing, government programs, and sustainability, along with the need for further investment in education, digital capabilities, and inclusive policies. This means that Jordan does not suffer from a complete lack of infrastructure, but rather from gaps in the elements that transform a project from an individual endeavor into a viable enterprise. The infrastructure may be adequate, and awareness exists, but the weakest link appears to be in the bridges: the bridge between the idea and funding, between skills and the market, and between digital readiness and real growth. This gap is also evident when considering the quality of expected outcomes from projects. The report states that about one in five new entrepreneurs in Jordan has clients outside the country, and more than one in four expects to employ six or more people within five years. These two figures are significant because they indicate that some Jordanian projects are not only thinking about survival but also about expanding into wider markets and creating jobs. However, this potential does not grow automatically; They need incubation pathways, mentorship, market connections, and practical training for scaling up, not just general encouragement to “start your own business.” The report also highlights another aspect often overlooked in local discussions: the social and environmental dimension. More than a third of new entrepreneurs in Jordan took steps to reduce their environmental impact in the past year, and more than two out of five took steps to maximize their social impact. Nearly two-thirds of entrepreneurs reported prioritizing these considerations over profitability or growth. These are not minor details; they indicate that a significant segment of Jordanian entrepreneurship views a business not just as a source of income, but also as a tool for influence. This aligns with the global trend observed in the report, where entrepreneurship is becoming increasingly linked to social value and the ability to respond to societal challenges. Therefore, a deeper reading of the GEM report does not lead to a simplistic conclusion of “Jordan is doing well” or “Jordan is failing.” What the data more accurately tells us is that Jordan possesses a promising human capital base: high confidence, an awareness of opportunities, a clear inclination to adopt technology, and a percentage of projects with the potential for growth, expansion, and impact. However, this base operates within an environment that still falls short of the level required to translate this momentum into broader and more sustainable outcomes. The gap is not in the entrepreneurial spirit.