Jordan ICT Sector Presentation - Nov 2013

1. Jordan’s ICT Industry
ICT Association of Jordan – int@j
November 2013

2. int@j Background
 Driven by His Majesty’s vision for a strong private ICT Sector
 Established in 2000 as the ICT industry-support association under
the REACH Initiative
 Lead with MoICT implementation of the REACH Initiative (20002006) and the National ICT Strategy (2007-2011) and (2013 –
2017)
• Includes more than 200 companies in IT, Telecom, Outsourcing,
Content, Internet and Mobile businesses, membership is open to
all ICT companies
• Focuses on advocacy, promotion and marketing, capacity
building, research and publications, and ICT Clusters

3. Sector Vision
Jordan to become a major regional
ICT leader and an internationally
recognized exporter of ICT products
& services, capitalizing on its core
human capital advantage

4. Jordan’s ICT Sector
 Started back in 1999 (REACH Initiative) and followed with the
National ICT Strategy for a strong industry (2007-2011)
 Fastest growing sector in Jordan's economy (Avg. 25% growth)
 More than 84,000 jobs in total (direct/indirect/induced)
 Contribution of 14% to GDP (10% direct, 4% indirect)
 On the ground international companies (Cisco, Microsoft,
Oracle, HP, Yahoo, Intel, Ericsson)

5. ICT Sector Landscape
• 500 Companies in Telecom, IT,
Online and Mobile Content,
Outsourcing, and Games
$2,308
$1,691
• All Number in USD million
$617
$300
$12
IT Export
Revenue
$500
$560
$317
$48
IT Domestic
Revenue
$60
IT Total
Revenue
2000
2012
Sources:
Telecom: Telecommunications Regulatory Commission
IT: int@j Industry Classification and Statistics 2012
Telecom
Revenue
ICT Sector
Revenue

6. Contribution to Jordanian Economy
 ICT Sector accomplishment in 13 years is good (12% of economy)
 ICT Average salaries is JD 800 to JD 900 (middle class)
 ICT is an enabler of the whole economy and creator of wealth
GDP Contribution
Direct Employment
17.70%
14.30%
12.00%
10.60%
4.30% 4.50%
3.28%
Manufacturing
Tourism
1.23%
ICT
2.30%
Construction
2.80%
Agriculture
Source:
Manufacturing, Construction, and Agriculture GDP and Employment: Department of Statistics
ICT: int@j Industry Classification and Statistics 2012
Tourism: Ministry of Tourism

7. International Recognition
Amman is the
10th
best place to start
a technology company
in the world
References:
- Bloomberg.com
- Sindibad Business Report
for Wamda.com
4th Oasis500 Angel Network

8. ICT Sector Exports
• Exporting to more than 50 countries
• Major Export Markets
– Saudi Arabia $72m (24%)
– USA $62m (20%)
– Iraq $37m (12%)
– UAE $31m (10%)
– UK $18m (6%)
 Regional Opportunities
– Saudi Arabia (Over $4b IT spending) 50% of GCC
– UAE (Over $1b IT spending Annually)
– Qatar (Over $500mn IT spending Annually)

9. Segments and Companies

10. Sector Segments
Telecom
IT Infrastructure
IT – Software
Online and Mobile
Outsourcing
Games
• Operators
• ISPs/ASPs
• Hardware
• Networking
• Enterprise Solutions
• Emerging Applications
• Content
• Applications
• IT Outsourcing
• Business Process Outsourcing
• Knowledge Process Outsourcing
• Online and Mobile
• Console

11. Sample Companies
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Banking:
Payment:
Insurance:
Health:
Education:
Telecom:
Gov:
HR:
ERP:
CRM:
VAS:
Web:
Online:
Games:
Animation:
Outsourcing:
CCS, Progress Soft, ManafSoft, EastNets, Focus Solutions
STS, Gate2Play, Jabbar, Access2Arabia, MEPS, Madfo3at
Eskadenia, TechnoSys, KeySoft, NatHealth
EHS, ATS, Optimiza, NatHealth, N2V, AlTibbi, Eskadenia
ITG, Rubicon, Al-Hudhod, Eskadenia
Globitel, Eskadenia
Estarta, Savvytek, Optimiza, SSS Process, Offtec, Primus, ITG
MenaITech
Sermon, Savvytek, Intracom
Eskadenia, MenaITech
Info2Cell, MIT, BeeCell, Access2Arabia, PACT, Javna
Dot.Jo, Primus, Imagine
D1G, Jeeran, Maktoob, Jabbar
Quirkat, Maysalward, Beladcom, Mixed Dimension
Rubicon, Kharabeesh, CurleStone, Media Plus
Aspire, Extensya, CrysTelCall, Primus, KeySoft, 4th Dimension

12. Opportunities

13. More Opportunities
E-Learning:
 Jordan Education Initiative
 Local firms delivering world-class products
– ITG - EduWave Platform, World Summit Award Winner
– Rubicon, Math Curricula with Cisco
 New models: Al-Hudhud, Nibras, Darebni
 Recently established Jordan’s ICT for Education Cluster to promote
Jordan’s ICT capabilities in Education

14. More Opportunities
E-Health:
 Electronic Health Solutions Royal Initiative Based
on VistA with pilot in 3 Public Hospitals and to
build on and replicate in other countries
 Opportunity to build health applications (Cloud,
Mobile, Infrastructure)
 Established Jordan’s Healthcare ICT Taskforce as
an open group to develop Health ICT

15. Opportunities
Telecommunications:
 Liberalized Telecom Sector
– Liberalized mobile telephone subsector
– Liberalized fixed line subsector
 Independent regulator – TRC
 Licensed WiMAX & 3G Infrastructure
 More than 6 million mobile phone subscribers

16. Opportunities
Business Process Outsourcing:
 9th globally in AT. Kearny Global Services Location Index (2009)
 Availability of necessary ingredients
– Manpower and human talent
– The “right” Arabic and English dialect
– An alternative destination
– The right telecom infrastructure
– The investment climate
– The political and economic stability

17. Online/Mobile Content and Gaming
 3% Arabic content in the world – Jordan is the largest contributor
 Neutral Arabic speaking community
 Mobile:
– Applications, Games, and Content
• Multiplatform applications, content, and games (including iPhone
and Blackberry)
 Online
– Applications and Gaming Solutions (example online payment)
– Communities (example web forums, football sites)
– Media and Content (example Online Newspapers, social media, and
directories)

18. Advocacy in 2013

19. Advocacy in 2013
 Taxation
– Proposed Corporate Tax at 15%, 20% and 25% on all
sectors (up from 14%), 35% on Telecom (up from 24%)
– Individual Tax at 10%, 20% and 25% and lower exemptions
to 9k and 18k
 Export exemption
– Maintaining exports income tax exemption
 Content hosting
– Telecom law and Press and publications law
 Electricity prices
– Will not resolve government budget deficit

20. Advocacy in 2013
 Telecom Law
– In draft and will be discussed with the sector
 Press and Publications Law
– Still an issue to online content companies
 Investment Law
– In draft with government
 PPP Law
– In draft with government
 HR Gap between Academia and Private Sector
– Developing bridging program among the sector and
academia to ensure higher quality of graduates based on
sector demand

21. Advocacy in 2013
 E-Transactions law
– Certificate Authority – e-Signature
– E-Payment laws
 Privacy Act

22. Future Focus

23. Future Focus - 10 Years

ICT fully integrated in other sectors products and services (Manufacturing, Health,
Education, Tourism, …)

Strong public private partnership locally, regionally, and internationally

Telecom
– Further infrastructure attraction for regional & international companies
– Platform for converged data, voice, media, and content
– Broadband and virtual e-learning for all Jordanians
– Strong, independent, competent regulator

IT/ITES
– Strong products and services export capacity to regional and international
locations
– Attractive business and investment destination (example Yahoo/Maktoob)
– Innovative and entrepreneurial global and regional products and services
– Major capacity in PPP projects (example e-Government)

24. Sector Competitiveness & Development Engine

25. Sector Competiveness &
Development Engine
Components:
 Human Resources: aiming at creating a reliable and sustainable pool of
resources that will enhance employment rates
 Export Development: aiming at increasing regional markets penetration,
enhancing our companies/ products positioning & visibility, and enabling
sector scalability
 IP & Innovation: aiming at diffusing ICT in other industries to create an
edge in our sector offerings, and cater for the regional gaps in certain
niches, and through capturing existing IP to be properly packaged for
commercialization
 Investments Attraction: aiming at creating a main financing channel that
will contribute to raising our existing companies’ maturity, exposure, and
readiness to compete regionally and internationally.

26. int@j Business Clusters & Taskforces
Purpose: Group ICT sector companies based on their
specialization value added services, and interest specialized,
and based on emerging & niche industries,
Existing:
 Healthcare ICT Taskforce
 Education & ICT Cluster
 Creative Content & Gaming Cluster
 Training Cluster (PHP, iPhone, and Business maturity)
Upcoming:
 Financial ICT Cluster
 Energy & ICT Cluster

27. Clusters Projects & Programs
 Healthcare ICT Cluster
– Promote Jordan Digitizing Healthcare brand, showcase our
ICT Jordanian offerings & capabilities, become a major
regional reference point of expertise in this area, and join
forces with stakeholders & local initiatives to drive
innovation and the development of new cutting edge
solutions with high potential.
 ICT in Education Cluster
– Promoting Jordan’s ICT capabilities in Education, showcase
our ICT offerings, advocate to become a major regional
reference & model for excellence in Education, joining
forces with stakeholders to drive innovation & cutting-edge
solutions.

28. Clusters Projects & Programs
 Training Cluster
– linking training providers with our industry to better
understand the ICT sector employment and work needs, to
design training programs that match the sector’s demand, &
elevate the level of standards for the various providers,
&engage them in the HR development process for our ICT
industry.
 Creative Industries Cluster
– Providing an umbrella for the new emerging creative
industries in relation to ICT, initially focused on New Media
including ICT, Media & Content industries, & grow it to
include other relevant & supporting creative industries that
will contribute to the development of structured innovation
environment and talents attraction ecosystem.

29. Main Projects & Programs
 Bridge To Silicon Valley Program:
– Umniah Mobile, USAID Jordan, and int@j, are cooperating
with Plug & Play to providing a landing platform for Jordanian
high-tech companies to access resources of Silicon Valley.
– Selected companies will be sponsored by Umniah, USAID
Jordan, and int@j to join Plug and Play’s comprehensive 3month startup acceleration program,
– Selected companies will have access to hundreds of investors,
corporations, and mentors within the Plug & Play network,
exposure at its events, regular educational seminars and
workshops, and office space.

30. Graduates Employment Program
 Launched in 2009 between the Ministry of Information and
Communications Technology (MoICT), Ministry of Labor, and
int@j “Graduates Employment Program”.
 GEP is re-launched as of Sep 01, 2011 as a 12-month
employment program whereby the Government provides a
subsidy of 50% of fresh graduates employees salary during
the 12 months of employment.
 Open to both ICT and BPO companies as of April 2013

31. int@j & Bayt Partnership
 Career platform to efficiently hire the perfect talent and help
ICT professionals find job vacancies that match their skills.
 Career
site
on
int@j
portal
http://intaj.net/content/employers where companies can
reach out to the best talents in the market through:
– Advertising jobs on int@j career page only (Free of
Charge)
– Advertise on int@j & Bayt.com
Bayt.com postings prices.
(Huge discount on
– Search Bayt.com Database of 11.5 Million Job Seeker –
Over 700 thousand Jordanian candidates (Huge discount
on Bayt.com postings prices).

32. HR Projects & Programs
 ICT HR Bridging Initiative:
int@j is championing the development of a bridging program among the
sector and academia to ensure higher quality of graduates and pool of
resources in multiple areas based on sector demand and trends. This
program has 3 main sections:
– Developing ICT qualifications framework to set the academic
standards in regards to the knowledge, skills and competencies
required for every education level and major in ICT.
– Establishing an operational program that supports in applying the
standards and requirements of both the qualifications framework and
the occupational standards along with various stakeholders from
government, academia and private sector, and support in designing
programs that fills the gap between the graduates and the industry
needs, by enhancing the capabilities of the various training providers
to engage them in the process.

33. Exports, Investment, and IP Projects &
Programs
 Export offices: Working on Establishing an onsite representation for int@j
and the ICT sector at targeted destinations; initially focusing on (KSA, UAE,
USA), to facilitate and enable exports & business development for our
SMEs
 IP Day: Plan a series of events and workshops where we adopt specific
themes to highlight and promote ICT products and IP , and engage them
with potential clients and stakeholders
 Invest in ICT: Annual platform that enables the access of micro, small and
medium ICT enterprises to meet regional investment peers and go
through a matchmaking process with regional and international investors
and VCs
 Blue Ocean Committee: Establish an experts committee to be the ICT
reference for new ideas and potential growing products by entrepreneurs
and existing companies alike

34. Thank You