Post date: Feb 19, 2014 3:38:5 PM
Young entrepreneurs spend a weekend developing their start-up ideas among developers, designers, marketers and product managers.
AMMAN, JORDAN (FEBRUARY 15, 2014) (REUTERS) - A three day workshop in Amman has put Jordan's young entrepreneurs to the test, focusing on development in the field of technology.
Startup Weekend, a voluntary initiative that is run in around 200 cities, kicked off at the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh university in Amman on Thursday (February 13).The gruelling 54-hour long event brought together young entrepreneurs who had a chance to develop and launch their start-ups ideas among developers, designers, marketers and product managers.
Yasmine Fadel, one of the organisers for the event in Amman, said Startup Weekend hoped to promote entrepreneurial skills.
"Startup Weekend is an international function, which takes place in over 200 cities around the world. The organisers of the event are always volunteers, since this is a non-profit organisation, and its main goal is to promote and encourage entrepreneurship among the youth, especially in the field of technology," said Fadel.
Another organiser, Ghassan Halaweh, said events like this can help young Jordanians find employment.
"There is a large sector of Jordan's youth who are educated in this field [technology]. This field has much room for creativity and innovation, which is why many young people are attracted to it, this is the greatest value of this sector. The youth represent 70 percent of Jordan's population, this means there is a large percentage of people who are experts in this field and will be able to create opportunities that are in line with our market demands," said Halaweh.
With almost 40 percent of the country's seven million population aged under 15, youth unemployment is a particular problem and has almost doubled over the past decade.
There are at least 50,000 new entrants to Jordan's labour market every year. Jordan says its unemployment rate stands at 14 percent but independent economists estimate it is considerably higher.
The event began with an 'open mic' session where participants pitched their ideas to experts and other attendees. The next two days saw participants form teams to develop those pitches and create business plans, with the support of voluntary mentors that have entrepreneurial backgrounds.
Young entrepreneur Batoul Ibrahim, who presented an application called B-Roll at the workshop, said the event provided valuable experience.
"With my educational background being in political science and film making, entering the world of business and economics was something foreign and new to me. But being here was very beneficial, because you are placed under pressure for 50 hours, working with team members you have never met before, and in addition to that, there are mentors who add new elements to the experience. It was a very fun and beneficial experience," said Ibrahim, whose application provides a platform where service providers and seekers can connect easily and safely.
After developing their initial ideas, participants presented prototypes of their work to a panel of experts for a chance to win prizes, which may include an investment in their company.
Organisers hope to hold the event in Amman several times a year in a bid to reach a greater number of enthusiasts.