Jordan’s ICT Industry

ICT Association of Jordan – int@j

November 2013

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 (2000-2006) 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

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

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)

ICT Sector Landscape

IT ExportRevenue

IT DomesticRevenue

IT TotalRevenue

TelecomRevenue

ICT SectorRevenue

$12 $48 $60

$500 $560

$300 $317

$617

$1,691

$2,308

2000 2012Sources:

- Telecom: Telecommunications Regulatory Commission

- IT: int@j Industry Classification and Statistics 2012

• 500 Companies in Telecom, IT, Online and Mobile Content, Outsourcing, and Games

• All Number in USD million

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

Contribution to Jordanian Economy

Source:

- Manufacturing, Construction, and Agriculture GDP and Employment: Department of Statistics

- ICT: int@j Industry Classification and Statistics 2012

- Tourism: Ministry of Tourism

Manufacturing Tourism ICT Construction Agriculture

17.70%

14.30%

12.00%

4.30% 2.30%

10.60%

3.28% 1.23%

4.50% 2.80%

GDP Contribution Direct Employment

Amman is the

10th best place to start

a technology company in the world

4th Oasis500 Angel Network

References: - Bloomberg.com - Sindibad Business Report for Wamda.com

International Recognition

• 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)

ICT Sector Exports

Segments and Companies

Sector Segments

• Operators

• ISPs/ASPs Telecom

• Hardware

• Networking IT Infrastructure

• Enterprise Solutions

• Emerging Applications IT – Software

• Content

• Applications Online and Mobile

• IT Outsourcing

• Business Process Outsourcing

• Knowledge Process Outsourcing Outsourcing

• Online and Mobile

• Console Games

Sample Companies

Banking: CCS, Progress Soft, ManafSoft, EastNets, Focus Solutions

Payment: STS, Gate2Play, Jabbar, Access2Arabia, MEPS, Madfo3at

Insurance: Eskadenia, TechnoSys, KeySoft, NatHealth

Health: EHS, ATS, Optimiza, NatHealth, N2V, AlTibbi, Eskadenia

Education: ITG, Rubicon, Al-Hudhod, Eskadenia

Telecom: Globitel, Eskadenia

Gov: Estarta, Savvytek, Optimiza, SSS Process, Offtec, Primus, ITG

HR: MenaITech

ERP: Sermon, Savvytek, Intracom

CRM: Eskadenia, MenaITech

VAS: Info2Cell, MIT, BeeCell, Access2Arabia, PACT, Javna

Web: Dot.Jo, Primus, Imagine

Online: D1G, Jeeran, Maktoob, Jabbar

Games: Quirkat, Maysalward, Beladcom, Mixed Dimension

Animation: Rubicon, Kharabeesh, CurleStone, Media Plus

Outsourcing: Aspire, Extensya, CrysTelCall, Primus, KeySoft, 4th Dimension

Opportunities

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

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

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

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

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)

Advocacy in 2013

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

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

Advocacy in 2013

E-Transactions law

– Certificate Authority – e-Signature

– E-Payment laws

Privacy Act

Future Focus

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)

Sector Competitiveness & Development Engine

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.

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

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.

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.

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 3-month 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.

Main Projects & Programs

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

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 (Huge discount on Bayt.com postings prices.

– Search Bayt.com Database of 11.5 Million Job Seeker – Over 700 thousand Jordanian candidates (Huge discount on Bayt.com postings prices).

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.

HR 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

Exports, Investment, and IP Projects & Programs

Thank You