US announces grant for start-up incubator

AMMAN — US Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Wednesday announced a $365,000 grant for start-up incubator Oasis500.

The grant will support entrepreneurship in the clean technology, healthcare, and design sectors and target young people, students, women, and people from underprivileged communities, according to a US embassy statement.

Blinken met with Oasis500 CEO Yousef Hamidaddin and Vice Chairman Marwan Juma at the start-up hub’s premises in Amman to learn about Jordan’s culture of innovation and Oasis500’s support for entrepreneurs across the Middle East through its training, mentorship and seed funding programmes, the statement said.

The official was accompanied on his visit by US Ambassador to Jordan Alice G. Wells and USAID Mission Director Jim Barnhart.

While in Amman, Blinken highlighted his country’s “strong and enduring partnership” with Jordan in meetings with a number of Jordanian government officials, the statement said.

He also met with Jordanians who have studied in the US on exchange programmes to hear about their experiences there and their entrepreneurial projects in Jordan upon their return, the statement added.

On Thursday, Blinken is scheduled to visit a US-supported, UNICEF-managed community centre that serves refugees and Jordanians to reaffirm Washington’s commitment to aiding Syrian refugees and Jordanian host communities, according to the statement.