Mindset, Not Only Money: Rethinking How We Grow Innovation in Jordan
I recently had a conversation that made me reflect. During a friendly business meetup, someone casually compared a successful European startup to one from Jordan, questioning whether we have the talent or innovative spirit to compete. It’s not the first time I’ve heard such comparisons—they come up occasionally, often implying that Jordanians who move abroad tend to achieve greater success. But this time, it struck me differently, and I found myself thinking about it more deeply. Especially since I was just days away from participating in the second round of Economic Modernisation Vision - رؤية التحديث الاقتصادي Vision Creative Industry Revision Workshop, a few years after creative industry leaders first helped set up the structure of the initial plan that the government later adopted. Now, we’re reviewing the progress and considering our next steps.
Here’s the thing: Jordanian talent is there; what we’re missing is the ecosystem that helps that talent grow and flourish. That conversation reminded me of how crucial it is to look beyond simple comparisons and understand what’s driving innovation in our country.
Whenever we talk about startups in Jordan, the conversation almost always starts with funding. And yes, access to capital is important — but treating it as the main challenge overlooks the deeper, systemic issues holding back innovation and entrepreneurship.
Funding is necessary, but not enough. What startups need is a well-rounded ecosystem — one that includes skilled talent, dependable infrastructure, early exposure to work environments, and a culture that encourages risk-taking, collaboration, and growth.
Looking Beyond the Obvious: What’s Missing Isn’t Only Money
In places like the Gulf, Southeast Asia, or parts of Europe, funding is just one piece of the puzzle. What drives growth is a reliable support system: transportation that makes it easy to get to work or school, bus routes that run on time, and smooth logistics and clear legislative procedures. Most importantly, young people — starting as early as high school — are given early exposure to real workplaces. This matters because it helps them grasp the rhythm and expectations of a professional environment: showing up on time, collaborating with diverse teams, managing responsibilities, and observing how decisions are made in real time. It builds not only technical skills but also workplace awareness, communication habits, and confidence — all of which are essential for navigating the transition from education to employment.
In Jordan, this type of exposure is not absent, but it is still a work in progress. Some programs exist, and others are emerging, but they are often fragmented or limited in scope. The potential is there, and this is precisely where the Economic Modernisation Vision 2033 comes into play. The vision offers an opportunity to connect the dots — to align existing efforts and build what’s missing. Whether through expanding internships, partnering with schools, or involving the private sector more systematically, we must move from isolated examples to a coherent, accessible pathway for all students.
Internships, hands-on projects, and mentorship help students understand how decisions are made, how businesses operate, and how teams work. That’s how future-ready talent is shaped. With AI and automation reshaping the job market, creating collaborative spaces — in schools, labs, studios, and startups — isn’t optional. It’s essential.
Infrastructure Means More Than Just Internet and Devices
When we say "infrastructure," we need to think broader. It includes:
Systems that reliably connect young people to opportunities
Clear paths from education to employment
Mentorship, events, and communities that spark ideas
School programs that reward curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving
Even with funding, a startup can fail if the environment around it doesn’t support growth. Like capital, talent needs systems to move and evolve.
Embracing a Growth Mindset
As we continue implementing the Minecraft Education Program in Jordan — especially through our collaboration with the Youth, Technology and Jobs project — we’re seeing firsthand how impactful it can be when students and teachers build together, not just with blocks but with shared purpose. On August 28, we’ll witness the outcomes of this journey during our showcase event. It’s not just about introducing a new tool like Minecraft Education. What truly matters is the pedagogy that emerges when you give educators and students the freedom to think differently, collaborate creatively, and apply a growth mindset. Minecraft opens the door, but it’s the way we walk through it — with curiosity and collaboration — that makes the difference.
The idea of a growth mindset, developed by psychologist Carol Dweck, is simple but powerful: talent isn’t fixed. It grows with effort, good strategies, and support. When this thinking is introduced early in education, it changes everything.
Instead of focusing on the latest tech tools, we need to focus on how we teach:
Mindset over Method: Encourage persistence, curiosity, and resilience
Use Tech with Purpose: Technology should help achieve learning goals, not replace them
Teacher Impact: Teachers lead by example when they give feedback, highlight effort, and treat mistakes as part of learning
Creating classrooms around these values helps students take risks, adapt, and grow.
Another important piece often overlooked is the role of feedback loops and goal setting. It’s not enough to encourage effort — students (and educators) benefit from structured ways to track and reflect on progress. Setting SMART goals — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound — helps break long-term development into achievable steps. And when paired with regular check-ins or mentorship sessions, it creates a rhythm of learning that keeps motivation high and direction clear.
Similarly, we can't ignore the value of practice with purpose. Daniel Coyle calls it "deep practice" — the kind of learning that happens when individuals break tasks into parts, struggle productively, and refine through repetition. Whether it's a student preparing for a presentation or a young entrepreneur iterating on a prototype, environments that allow for this kind of structured practice lead to far more meaningful outcomes. The more they believe their abilities can improve, the more confident and capable they become.
Teachers’ beliefs matter, too. When teachers see intelligence as something that can develop, their students tend to adopt that belief, leading to better motivation and stronger performance. But if teachers believe abilities are fixed, it can hold students back, especially those who are already struggling.
I have personally witnessed this over the past 13 years in various school programs run by Maysalward, whether it is the App Challenge or Summer Camps in Jordan. Educators consistently have a strong influence on their students' motivation, either elevating or diminishing it.
Learning from Others: The KIPP Schools Example
While exploring how learning environments influence talent — something I’ve been doing for a while as part of programs like the App Challenge and the Minecraft Education initiative — I came across the KIPP Foundation Knowledge Is Power Program—schools in the U.S.
These public charter schools, designed to serve underserved communities, focus not just on academics but on character development and cultivating a growth mindset. Influenced by the work of Carol Dweck and Angela Duckworth, KIPP schools recognize students not just for grades but for grit, perseverance, and effort. And it’s paying off: despite challenging socioeconomic circumstances, their students consistently outperform national averages in graduation and college attendance.
Jordan doesn’t have to replicate KIPP, but we can learn from its principles:
Focus on values like effort, not just test scores
Train teachers to recognize potential and nurture growth
Create school cultures that reward trying, not just succeeding
Link school learning with real-world experience
Shared Responsibility: It’s Not Just the Government’s Job
Ministries like Education, Youth, Culture, and Digital Economy all have important roles. But they can’t do it alone. The private sector has to step up, too:
Open internships for high school and university students
Help design training programs
Offer mentorship and workplace tours
Currently, too many companies are on the sidelines if we want a strong future workforce; that has to change.
From Vision to Action: Making 2033 Count
Jordan’s Economic Modernisation Vision 2033 gives us the perfect moment to rethink how we prepare young people. The vision highlights innovation and job creation, but to bring it to life, everyone needs to be aligned.
Here’s what we need to do:
Make sure education matches real-world skills
Improve access to infrastructure for all
Train teachers in growth mindset practices
Give businesses incentives to support youth talent
This isn’t just about dreaming big — it’s about designing systems that work.
The Bottom Line: Building a Culture Where Talent Can Thrive
The social and emotional environment around learners matters as much as the curriculum itself. Research has shown that people do better in school, work, and life when they feel like they belong. Whether it's a classroom or a coworking space, small cues of inclusion, support, and recognition have a big impact. This sense of belonging is a powerful driver of persistence and performance.
If Jordan wants to compete globally in the digital economy, we can’t rely on money alone. We need to integrate mindset, structure, access, and teamwork into our education, job market, and startup culture.
This isn’t only about launching startups. It’s about creating a national culture that sees talent, grows it, and celebrates it.
Recommended Reading
If you’re interested in the ideas behind this article, here are two books that have deeply influenced how I think about talent and learning:
The Talent Code –: How focused practice and smart coaching build high-performing environments
Mindset – Carol S. Dweck : Why believing in growth, not just innate ability, transforms education and achievement
These are my reflections, but I know many of you are working on similar challenges in education, tech, youth development, or entrepreneurship. What’s working in your part of the world? How are you cultivating talent in your ecosystem? I’d love to hear your insights.