The COVID-19 pandemic has put many businesses at risk and has dramatically affected the livelihoods of designers and creative entrepreneurs. In response to this situation, Goethe-Institut Jordan has designed and launched an acceleration program in collaboration with the Cultural and Creative Works Accelerator “IBDA3” aiming to support startups in the design field to ensure the sustainability and the growth of their businesses by developing their skills and capacities tackling many areas such as various business skills, market understanding, environment and sustainability.
The Takween Accelerator Program offers a unique acceleration methodology that combines the knowhow and expertise of Theme Experts (sector-based experts) with Business Experts (business coaches) and accordingly it creates an environment that is capable of identifying potential, providing room for on-ground validation and testing, and turn it into investable and revenue generating businesses using a participatory approach that focuses on embedding both group and individual methods such as group training sessions, assignments, individual business coaching, and individual theme-based mentorship. In addition, the program offers financial support to the startups by providing them with grants up-to EUR 5,000 in value to be spent during the program.
Start-Ups
abnodesigns
abnodesigns is a visual design studio based in Amman, Jordan. Founded by design duo Abeer Zoumot and Noor Issa, the full-service studio specializes in strategy, design, and execution across all mediums. The studio is best known for branding and advertising design, art direction, online communication, interior branding and festival design.
Website: www.abnodesigns.com
Instagram: @abnodesigns
Jopack
Jordan Chamber of Industry and in partnership with the local industrial chambers established in 2016 the National Center for Filling and Packaging which was officially opened at the end of May of 2017. The center provides a range of specialized technical services in the field of packaging including the preparation of external designs of packaging, structural designs of packages, provides advice and specialized consultation for innovative solutions through packaging to protect and market the products and enable them to meet the requirements and technical standards of different markets. The Center also provides training services for industrialists to inform them of the latest technologies related to packaging activities.
Website: www.jopack.org
Instagram: @jopack_co
ZCONCRETE
ZCONCRETE was founded by Zayna Darouqa in 2014 as a hobby and fell in love with concrete. She saw the unlimited possibilities with concrete, her passion for handicrafts with this material changed the way people typically look at concrete. With research and a lot of experiments, Zayna came up with a mixture that is unique and creates desirable products for all!
Instagram: @zconcrete.jo
Facebook: ZConcrete
Kenda
Kenda is a company that specializes in teaching and creating luxurious designs for home furniture using Arabic calligraphy and creating products of an Arabic nature that express the authentic Arab culture and civilization.
Website: www.kendaart.com
Instagram: @kendaart
The Jury
Manal Abu Shmais
Manal is an architect, food designer, and social entrepreneur based in Amman. Her work is cross-disciplinary employing unconventional design approaches in an attempt to create radical concepts, pave new connections, and seek an understanding of unifying themes that bring together food, psychology, and ecology.
She is the co-founder of the pioneering food and design brand Namliyeh which offers unique food experiences, immersive learning workshops, and artisanal products that employ the universal relevance of food to reimagine our relationship to the land.
Website: www.namliyeh.com
Maya Karkour
Maya Karkour is an Environmental and Circular Economy Specialist, an Eco-Entrepreneur and the director of EcoConsulting, a sustainability consultancy which she co-founded in 2003 in London, UK, and established in Beirut, Lebanon in 2008.
Maya has developed content and conducted numerous circular economy, environmental and green building seminars & workshops. Additionally, Maya has been coaching environmental start-ups with innovative entrepreneurial solutions to help them establish themselves and is currently facilitating the creation of the EcoSwitch Coalition for supporting eco-entrepreneurs In Lebanon under the SwitchMed program. She is also actively promoting the Circular Economy and sustainable practices in Lebanon through workshops, as the local representative of the Circular Economy Club in Beirut, and more recently by launching the Circular Hub of EcoConsulting.
Website: www.ecoconsulting.net
Yousef Hamidaddin
Yousef Hamidaddin is all about strategy, and how to scale up fast from the roots of being local, to the leaves of being global. Last 9 years, his focus has been on building and deploying a regional innovative strategy starting from Jordan.
Worked on developing innovative funds to deliver solutions that address the region to be well positioned as an “open lab” Exposed to Development Plans: ICTAC, board member of Int@j, Technology & Innovation Cluster Committee under the Ministry of Planning & International Cooperation, part of the Jordan Technology Re-launch Team labeled as Reach 2025, Chairman of the Innovative Solution Board an initiative from the Foundation of HRH the Crown Prince of Jordan, former CEO of Oasis 500. Frequent speaker on innovation, entrepreneurship, & acceleration.
Website: www.theventurex.com