Every year, Marseille Metropole accompanies Emerging Valley, the international summit of emerging start-ups and organic innovations between Africa and Europe. This event brings together investors, start-ups and the various African digital ecosystems that want to strengthen their international appeal, develop their business relations and accelerate their impact on a global scale.
MIA Awards : Pioneers of Entrepreneurship awarded by EuroMéditerranée
The Prix du Jury Med Innovant Africa, supported by Euroméditerranée since 2019, was awarded to Mauritanian entrepreneur Oumar Wélléa, CEO of Habidem, for his outstanding innovation in the field of sustainable development and eco-design. Meanwhile, Yassine Khelifi, CEO of Tunisian start-up Bioheat, was awarded the Coup de Coeur prize for his commitment to renewable energy solutions through the industrial-scale transformation of olive pomace into an ecological fuel that produces less CO2 than wood.
Focus on the 5 finalists of the Med'Innovant Africa 2023 competition
By choosing the fight against climate change as its key theme, the 4th edition of MED'INNOVANT AFRICA has caught the interest of African entrepreneurs and innovators : Between July 1 and August 31, 2023, a total of 175 applications from startups and SMEs based in some 20 African countries were received by the competition managers at the Etablissement Public d'Aménagement Euroméditerranée (EPAEM), in Marseille (France).
The aim? To identify and support developers of innovative solutions that will make Mediterranean and African cities more sustainable in the future. This year, the majority of projects focus on sustainable development and the social economy.
MED’INNOVANT AFRICA, a contest for tomorrow's resilient cities
Africa's particularly dynamic tech scene is continuing to develop, and is increasingly drawing the attention of international innovation players. Among the sectors that have seen the birth and growth of numerous African startups in recent years, the city sector is one of the most dynamic. Committed to innovation and openness to the African continent, The Etablissement Public d'Aménagement Euroméditerranée has taken up this issue by creating a competition dedicated to African startups and SMEs in 2019: MED'INNOVANT AFRICA.
For this IVth edition, the projects submitted had to focus on one of the following areas: Innovating in terms of energy in the face of climate change ● Optimizing water resource management ● Promoting materials reuse ● Encouraging soft mobility. In this way, the town planner is pursuing its sourcing of project leaders capable of developing solutions tailored to African and Mediterranean territories.
Finalists auditioned at Emerging Valley, November 27-28, 2023
For this 4th edition, 5 talented African companies caught the attention of the jury, made up of several Euroméditerranée partners:
BIOHEAT: this Tunisian startup transforms olive pomace into an environmentally-friendly fuel, producing less CO2 than wood while offering high calorific performance.
Manager: Yassine KHELIFI
ECOPLAST INNOV: based in Côte d'Ivoire, startup Ecoplast Innov transforms plastic waste and used tires into building and cladding materials for interiors and exteriors. The pavers and decorative slabs are 100% recyclable.
The company also handles awareness-raising, collection, sorting and recycling, and provides support services to businesses.
Founder: N'da Amenan Edith KOUASSI
HABIDEM: Mauritanian company, Habidem valorizes local resources by creating a biosourced thermal insulator from Typha, a noxious plant.
Manager: Oumar WELE: Oumar WELE.
SASA PLAST: Sasa Plast, founded in Mauritania, transforms plastic waste into street pavers, cinder blocks and kerbstones for the construction industry. As well as helping to protect the environment, the company supports women's economic independence through employment.
Founder: Cheikhna COULIBALY.
VIABLE WAYS CORP: founded in Morocco, this startup has developed a technological solution to improve farm management. Thanks to a web and mobile application, users can manage resources and irrigation in real time. It also offers weather forecasts and preventive actions to optimize water resource management.
Founder: Yahya LOUGAGHI.
Bootcamp Digital Energy 2023
