Jordan's Innovative Startups and SMEs Fund (ISSF) has announced its commitment to invest $7 million in Endeavor Catalyst V. This move is part of ISSF's ongoing efforts to attract more international investment capital into Jordan's thriving startup ecosystem. The investment was officially announced in Amman, Jordan's capital, during an event attended by the Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, Sami Samirate. The agreement was signed by Mohammed Al-Muhtasib, CEO of ISSF, and Allen Taylor, Managing Partner at Endeavor Catalyst. Endeavor Catalyst is the co-investment arm of the global Endeavor entrepreneurship network, which supports founders of high-growth companies in over 60 countries worldwide. Their fifth fund, Endeavor Catalyst V, is valued at over $300 million and specifically focuses on companies operating in emerging markets. ISSF clarified that this investment commitment marks the first step in the fund's second operational phase, following the completion of its first phase, which ran until 2025. The investment aims to strengthen Jordan's venture capital ecosystem and broaden local startups' access to international funding sources. The Endeavor network has had a presence in Jordan since 2009, when the Kingdom became the network's first market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Among the Jordanian-linked companies that have received support through the network is the AI-powered coding platform Replit, founded by Jordanian entrepreneurs Amjad Masad and Haya Odeh, which is currently valued at approximately $9 billion. The list of Jordanian companies that have received support within the Endeavor ecosystem also includes Tamatem Games, Altibbi, Eon Dental, Tarjama, and Wazn HR.
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