About NCI

The National Center for Innovation (NCI) has been established in accordance with the Law No. (90) of 2018, for the purpose of applying the recommendations of the National Innovation Strategy for the years (2013-2017) as one of the affiliated centers with The Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST), to be an observatory of science, technology and innovation, and a national umbrella for Jordan’s innovation activities within the ecosystem. The NCI aims to organize and coordinate the efforts of all stakeholders within a comprehensive and integrative framework that provides the business environment with clear directions and guidelines for economic opportunities and investments, and promotes participation in line with the standards of the innovation ecosystem, in a way that ensures the organization, coordination and control of inputs and outputs for the purpose of improving the entrepreneurial environment to reach the best global practices.

The NCI provides its main services through the Jordan’s Open Innovation Platform (JOIP), which is built to guide all activities in a unique way, providing opportunities for cooperation among stakeholders in Jordan’s innovation ecosystem and entrepreneurship. The NCI also aims to assist in executing tasks quickly and smoothly, and to promote Jordan as an innovation hub, achieving the national ambition towards contributing to the development of an innovative Jordan.

Vision

“To be the national umbrella and innovation hub that catalyses innovation in Jordan.”







Mission

“To establish the national innovation ecosystem by providing stimulating environment for innovation, entrepreneurship and business sector through innovation hub and marketplace that enhance the collaboration and partnership opportunities among stakeholders, and facilitate utilizing technology in innovation practices in a unique way to achieve sustainable development, support the national economy and enhance its competitiveness.”

NCI

Strategic
Objectives

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NCI

Board Members

Huda Al Rawabdeh

We meet great first imperssions, and great second imperssions.

Name
Last Name

We meet great first imperssions, and great second imperssions.

Name
Last Name

We meet great first imperssions, and great second imperssions.

Challenges of the innovation ecosystem in Jordan

In 2018, a mapping study was conducted by the consulting firm (OHK), which aimed to evaluate the innovation ecosystem and entrepreneurship in Jordan. This study resulted in identifying and highlighting the most prominent challenges and constraints that face the innovation ecosystem and limit its progress towards knowledge. It also managed to outline the NCI’s role in filling the gaps and overcoming challenges that arise within the ecosystem.  Some of these challenges are:

1. Multiplicity of strategies

Multiplicity of innovation policies and strategies amongst the stakeholders within the ecosystem led to misidentifying the main priorities at the national level, as well as the lack of competitive executable alignment between supply and demand for the international rivals, which resulted in reducing the impact on the national economy, as well as limiting its ability to evolve into a knowledge economy that’s built on innovation.

2. Lack of R&I law

The lack of laws that regulate research and development and innovation resulted in the absence of an outline for tax incentives as well as the absence of legislative laws related to start-up companies and their funding.

3. Lack of innovative culture and entrepreneurship and low empowerment of human resources:

Multiplicity of innovation policies and strategies amongst the stakeholders within the ecosystem led to misidentifying the main priorities at the national level, as well as the lack of competitive executable alignment between supply and demand for the international rivals, which resulted in reducing the impact on the national economy, as well as limiting its ability to evolve into a knowledge economy that’s built on innovation.

4. Confusion around innovation

Lack of a clear and a concise definition for innovation, and difficulty in measuring it at the national level. The absence of a clear definition for innovation has resulted in difficulty in measuring and evaluating the innovation activities among the stakeholders within the innovation ecosystem in Jordan, which consequently resulted in redirecting the financial and technical resources that have been specified for innovation in other fields.

5. Lack of effective stakeholder coordination, and gaps within the innovation value chain

The lack of effective stakeholders’ coordination within the innovation ecosystem has led to duplication and putting-in doubled efforts with the granting entities, even in the presence of competent professionals concerned with policymaking, funding, business incubators, and other innovative activities. This has resulted in losing the opportunity to commercialize innovation outputs at the national level.

6. Lack of proper public fund for R&I

The scarcity of local funding sources allocated by both the private and public sectors, and mixing the grants and loans allocated for research, development and entrepreneurship, as well as spending the largest amount of funds on theoretical scientific research instead of spending them on development and commercialization, all are factors that led to poor innovation outcomes at the national level.

NCI Team

Huda Al Rawabdeh

Director of The National Center for Innovation
huda@nci.jo

Hasan Al Zu’bi

Information Technology Manager

hasan@nci.jo

Sa’eed Nazmi Al-Sa’eed

Marketing manager

saeed@nci.jo

Faten Al-Nsour

Executive Secretary

faten@nci.jo