Amman, Sept. 30 (Petra) – Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation (JEDCO) signed 115 support agreements on Wednesday under its "Create Your Business" and "Development" programs, with a total value of JD3 million.

These include 80 projects worth JD2 million under the "Create Your Business" program and 35 under the "Development" program worth JD1 million.

Minister of Industry, Trade, and Supply Yarub Qudah said JEDCO received about 2,700 applications for the two programs before selecting 115 projects through several stages of assessment.

He said the evaluation process included preliminary and final reviews, an additional assessment by an independent specialized company, and personal interviews with applicants to assess their ability to implement their business ideas.

Qudah said the ministry sought to ensure geographical diversity among the selected projects, noting that the objective is to help businesses grow, expand, and create sustainable employment rather than remain small-scale ventures.

JEDCO Executive Director Ghaleb Hijazi said the two programs target various stages of business development: "Create Your Business" helps entrepreneurs establish new businesses, and "Development" supports existing enterprises seeking to expand and improve their competitiveness.

Hijazi said JEDCO received 2,222 applications for "Create Your Business" and 561 for "Development," with 115 projects ultimately qualifying for support.

He said the selected projects represent different governorates and economic sectors and include growing participation by women entrepreneurs.

JEDCO said its role will also include monitoring project performance, measuring results, and providing follow-up support as businesses develop.

//Petra// AO