Orange Jordan Launches PASS to Boost Startups’ Private Sector Access

Mohammed Fathy

Last updated 16-03-2026

4 min

Orange Jordan launched PASS to help startups enter private sector supply chains.

The programme supports 130 firms with practical training and tailored mentoring.

It aims to boost productivity, sales, and “value chain” integration nationwide.

Backed by GIZ, MoDEE, the EU and Germany, it runs to 2026.

Success will depend on startups securing lasting corporate contracts.

Orange Jordan has rolled out a new initiative aimed at helping startups break into the private sector more effectively, in a move that could give a timely push to Jordan’s entrepreneurial scene. The programme, called Private Sector Access to Support Startups (PASS), sits under the broader “Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Economic Development and Employment” (E4DE) project, implemented by GIZ in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship (MoDEE). Funding comes from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union in Jordan.

In simple terms, PASS is about helping startups sell better, grow smarter, and connect with the right people. The programme will run until October 2026 and aims to support 130 startups across Jordan. That support is not just theory-heavy workshops. It promises practical training, tailored advice, and mentoring delivered by experts and experienced entrepreneurs who understand what it really takes to move from pitch deck to purchase order.

I’ve seen many founders struggle to enter corporate supply chains, it can feel like a bit of a faff, especially when you don’t speak the same “language” as large enterprises. PASS appears designed to close that gap. Through structured capacity building and by linking startups with private sector players of different sizes, the programme focuses on helping young companies position themselves within real value chains. In other words, not just surviving, but competing.

And believe it or not, this kind of market-oriented support can make all the difference. It’s one thing to have a clever product; it’s another to have the systems, processes and confidence to sit across the table from a major corporate partner. PASS aims to strengthen that readiness, enhancing productivity and sales while encouraging more sustainable business models. Over time, that should improve competitiveness within local ecosystems.

The initiative also aligns with Orange Jordan’s broader positioning as a digital leader committed to social impact. The company has repeatedly stressed its focus on empowering youth and SMEs, and on building a more integrated entrepreneurial ecosystem across Jordan’s governorates. That said, programmes like this will inevitably be judged on outcomes, not intentions. Supporting 130 startups is significant, but the real test will be how many secure lasting private sector contracts.

Applications opened in February through Orange Jordan’s official platforms, with startups from targeted governorates encouraged to apply. For early-stage founders looking to sharpen their skills and expand their professional networks, this could be a spot on opportunity.

Zooming out, Orange Group itself remains a heavyweight in global telecoms, reporting revenues of €40.3 billion in 2024 and serving 310 million customers worldwide as of September 2025. The company operates in 26 countries and continues to push its strategic plan, “Lead the Future”, which places emphasis on efficiency and network excellence. In Jordan, Orange employs around 1,600 people across nearly 300 locations, offering fixed, mobile and data services to more than 5 million customers.

On the flip side, entrepreneurship support in the region has sometimes been heavy on announcements and light on long-term follow-through. I’m not a fan of initiatives that look impressive on paper but fade quietly. Still, this partnership, linking international development backing with private sector muscle, has the ingredients to deliver tangible impact if executed well.

For readers at Arageek who are building startups from Irbid to Aqaba, programmes like PASS are definately worth a closer look. Access to corporates, proper mentorship, and value chain integration are not small things. They can be the difference between staying small and scaling up.

Well… I mean, every founder’s journey is different. But giving startups a clearer runway into the private sector? That’s a move many in the ecosystem have been waiting for.

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