INVESTMED: Innovative Sustainable Start-Ups For The Mediterranean
INITIATIVES FOR CHANGE
February 2021
Project Partners
RUMUNDU
LUMSA University
IED - Institute of Entrepreneurship Development
IEMed - European Institute of the Mediterranean
EMEA - Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association
CEEBA - Confederation of Egyptian European Business Associations
CCE - Chamber of Commerce of Spain
Learn more about
INVESTMED; Innovative Sustainable start-ups for the Mediterranean
Startups and micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the Mediterranean region face burgeoning economic and environmental challenges as they strive to remain competitive, sustainable, innovative, and extend their reach to international markets. INVESTMED aims to support such budding enterprises in three Mediterranean Partner Countries (MPCs), Egypt, Lebanon and Tunisia, with particular focus on on young people and women current and aspiring entrepreneurs. The project will span a duration of 30 months with a total budget of 3.8 Million euro, of which 3.4 Million euro are funded by ENI CBC MED (90%).
Through supporting the development of new, sustainable entrepreneurship and business initiatives in the three MPCs to create new economic opportunities and jobs for young people and women, INVESTMED also hopes to contribute to encouraging a greener economy with both economic and environmental benefits to the Mediterranean Sea basin region. Achieving this overarching goal will require a threefold strategy:
Enhancing Capacity For Sustainable Business Management
Targeted capacity-building, coaching and mentoring programs to nurture environment that supports the growth of sustainable businesses led by women and young entrepreneurs and facilitate their access to capital.
Facilitating Access To Financing And Investment
Financial and capacity-building support services that help facilitate access to new markets for women and young-people led MSMEs, start-ups, and recently established enterprises.
Building A Culture Around Intellectual Property Rights for Entrepreneurs And Public Authorities
Reinforcing the capacities of public authorities in relation to protecting and supporting budding youth and women led enterprises’ access to intellectual property rights (IPR) and commercial contracts through IPR campaigns, a capacity building programme and stakeholder engagement activities that serve to facilitate reviews of IPR laws and regulations.
Beyond Group will catalyze the building a culture around Intellectual Property Rights for entrepreneurs and public authorities with the aim of increasing understanding and capacities of both public administration staff and young and women entrepreneurs to facilitate the exploration of opportunities arising from IPR in the three target countries. Within its contribution to the project, Beyond Group will:
Coordinate the mapping of legal frameworks in cooperation with legal firms and IP offices/organizations, IP regulatory an advisory bodies, with support from partners.
Facilitate the development of the IPR guidebook in English, French and Arabic.
Provide specific trainings on IPR targeting public authorities’ staff and entrepreneurs, in parallel with SBM trainings.
Facilitate consultations in target countries with public authorities, young and women entrepreneurs, researchers, private inventors in order to discuss main concepts and ideas of adequately integrating and managing IPR in cross border innovation projects and ventures.
Facilitate IPR review meetings and online consultations with IP offices/organizations, IP regulatory and advisory bodies to ensure a collaborative workflow towards IPR law and regulation review reflecting international best practices