On July 6 and 7, 2022, BUSINESSMED organized a local pitching competition in Tunisia within the framework of the INVESTMED project for startups and MSMEs working in the green, blue, creative and cultural economy sectors from different regions of Tunisia. This event was an opportunity for 27 startups and MSMEs shortlisted from different regions of Tunisia to present their proposals and project ideas to an international jury composed of different project partners and local and European experts. If selected, each startup could benefit from a fund of up to 20,000 euros allowing them working on implementing new strategies, create new products or services or export their products and benefit from personalized support and a capacity building program designed.

Opening the event , Mrs Jihen Boutiba , General director of BUSINESSMED mentioned: “Our world is facing major challenges: generalized economic slowdown, health and environmental crises, as well as difficult access to markets, especially for young people... our Mediterranean basin is full of important demographic, cultural and economic potentials that must serve as pillars for sustainable regional growth and economic development..The INVESTMED project is one of these opportunities… our  objective today is  to select up to 14 initiatives that will benefit from funding and coaching but above all to create a strong and ambitious INVESTMED community that we will seek to maintain, develop and integrate within the ENI CBC MED network.”

During the panels, the attendees were presented the last news of the INVESTMED project and were introduced to the IPR guide developed by the project team members.  This event was also accompanied by additional activities and workshops designed and implemented by the BSO “Westerwelle Startup Haus Tunis” and aiming at strengthen the INVESTMED community, boost the creation of synergies and collaboration between the participating SMEs and startups and other ENI CBC projects.

Two other local pitch competition are also planed one in Lebanon and one in Egypt.