Khaberni - Engineer Sami Samirat, the Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, visited Oasis500 company today, Monday, one of the developmental projects affiliated with King Abdullah II Fund for Development, where he met with the chairman and members of the board in addition to the company’s employees, and the minister reviewed Oasis500’s activities and its strategy for the upcoming phase, in addition to its investment plans and its role in supporting startups in Jordan.
During the visit, it was affirmed that there is a clear alignment between the priorities of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship and the vision of Oasis500, as it is one of the main pillars in enhancing the partnership between public and private sectors to support the startup ecosystem, especially in high-value-added tech sectors. The minister also reviewed the ministry’s various programs that benefit the companies invested in by Oasis500 and other startups, in a context of ongoing cooperation and effective integration aimed at supporting company growth and accelerating their expansion locally and regionally.
On her part, the chairwoman of Oasis500, Ms. Suheir Al Ali, emphasized that developing the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem contributes directly to supporting youth employment, accelerating the growth of the digital economy, and enhancing the competitiveness of Jordanian companies regionally, in addition to attracting foreign capital to the entrepreneurial ecosystem. She reaffirmed the position of Oasis500 as a main institutional investor in the early stages of tech companies, noting that Oasis500 has invested in 193 startups to date, while the currently operating companies employ approximately 5,000 people in direct and indirect jobs.
She also emphasized that Oasis500 has been instrumental in developing the legislative and regulatory environment supportive of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the kingdom, confirming its continued provision of its vision and expertise in coordination with the ministry, which welcomes the participation of various parties to enhance the business environment and improve its competitiveness.
The visit included a detailed explanation about the launch of the fourth investment fund, Oasis Ventures III (OVIII), which Oasis500 announced launching with a target size of over 20 million US dollars, focusing on investing in tech companies in their early stages, highlighting the strategic importance of the fund in bridging the funding gap at this stage. The launch of the fund continues the company’s investment journey, having previously launched several funds including Oasis Ventures I in 2010, Oasis Creative Industries in 2015, and Oasis Ventures II in 2019.
It should be noted that Oasis500 was established in 2010 as a realization of the vision of His Majesty King Abdullah II through the King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD), as the first investment fund to support emerging tech companies and entrepreneurs from the early stages, and has succeeded in attracting more than 135 million US dollars in investments, with a current total valuation of approximately 243 million US dollars, covering more than 22 countries around the world. These indicators reflect the deep impact the company has made in cementing Jordan's position as a regional hub for entrepreneurship and innovation, in line with the attention His Royal Highness Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II, the Crown Prince, pays to empowering youth and enhancing their role in tech and entrepreneurial sectors, as well as aligning with the vision of economic modernization and the goals of the National Council for Future Technology through support of entrepreneurship, innovation, and enhancing the contribution of technology to economic growth and creating quality job opportunities.
