Accelerator Technology Holdings (ATH) has become a strategic financial investor in Jeeran, a leading site for user-generated content.

ATH's investment will assist Jeeran in expanding its operations into the UAE and Saudi Arabia as well as further product development to enhance the social networking services it offers to its million plus members on its site jeeran.com.

This new investment will accelerate the growth of Jeeran by providing strategic and financial support to the company in its aims to continue to expand its large base of user-generated content, develop new applications and services for its online community, and build a regional presence to better serve its advertising customers, said a senior official.

Benefiting from the strategic guidance and financial support offered by ATH, Jeeran will also be able to further enhance its website's powerful position as a platform for its million Arab and international members to publish and store content online.

'With over 30 million Internet users, expected to double in the next three years, the Internet industry in the Middle East and North Africa is now approaching a critical mass. As more Arab communities are formed online, we expect Jeeran to continue to lead in the facilitation of 'digital' self expression by youth across the Arab world seeking relevant channels for dialogue,' said founder and CEO of ATH Fawaz H. Zu'bi.

To compliment its Amman operations, Jeeran is expanding through new office facilities in Dubai which will serve as the launching pad for providing services to partners and advertisers within the GCC and the Middle East regions.

Omar Koudsi, CEO of Jeeran, welcomed ATH's investment, stating that it marks a milestone in the history of the company's development.

'This new partnership brings us closer to our goal for expanding the scopes of our operations regionally. With ATH's financial support and guidance we will be able to further promote our site as a leading online social networking site that offers communities across the region quality based user generated content,' he added.

Today, the online social networking site hosts over 600,000 user blogs and personal pages. With over three million unique visitors per month it offers an effective medium for individuals seeking exposure for the content they produce.Trade Arabia News Service