The promise and reality of Jordan’s startup sceneJordan’s startup ecosystem comprises accelerators, funds, and mentoring networks; however, its recent performance raises questions about its sustainability. Although Jordan may not mint unicorns, privately held startups valued at $1 billion or more, the country has produced several resilient companies. This suggests that Jordan’s startup ecosystem, regardless of its current challenges, operates in an economy that is dramatically underutilizing its human capital. A model worth refiningJordan’s startup ecosystem offers valuable lessons, but not necessarily the ones initially apparent. For founders, funders, and policymakers, Jordan’s experience suggests that building sustainable startup ecosystems requires more than rejecting unicorn culture.