AMMAN — At a gathering of the Celebration of Entrepreneurship forum here this month, young Arab techies, some dressed in jeans, others in pinstriped suits, exchanged business cards and listened to advice from investors.

The goal of these would-be entrepreneurs: to start local businesses that tap into a rapidly growing market for Internet and mobile telecommunications applications. Investors from the region say they are ready to provide as much as $500 million as seed money for new businesses in Arab countries.

The key role played by social media in the Arab Spring political movement has helped to encourage the growth of online start-ups across the Arabic-speaking region. Young entrepreneurs say that creating businesses that employ people and contribute to social change can be just as revolutionary as marching in demonstrations.

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AMMAN — As Jordanians celebrated their country’s independence from Britain 66 years ago this week, thousands of citizens came out to participate in the festivities. It was a shift from the more familiar scenes of strikes and protests, most recently over price increases imposed by the government.

The situation in Jordan, a monarchy, is more subtle than in some other countries. While there have been numerous protests, the political temperature has yet to reach anywhere near the levels that it did in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, whose regimes were ousted.

Jordanians seem to have a more focused approach toward surging prices of basic commodities, along with that of fuel and electricity. Labor unions are becoming an increasingly potent force, calling attention to bad work conditions and low income.

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