The CREACT4MED project conducted vists to each target country with subgrantees hosted by the selected country incubator. These events had the aim of not only informing the entrepreneurs of the CREACT4MED activities and roadmap but also to inspire and offer networking opportunities. Each visit had a motivational talk from an expert entrepreneur, a networking event, and a visit to a cultural centre to allow entrepreneurs to forge new relationships within their cultural and creative ecosystem.
Read the full Country Visits Report here. You can also check out the videos for each country visit below and at the CREACT4MED YouTube.
Morocco
6th and 7th December 2022
The CREACT4MED team were in Casablanca, Morocco on the 6th and 7th December 2022 and were hosted by the BSO, LaStartupStation. The inspirational talk was given by Madame Leïla Doukali, President of the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Morocco discussing women in business and how the CREACT4MED entrepreneurs contribute towards the construction of a strong CCI community. The group then visited the Institut Français de Casablanca, which works for cultural dissemination throughout Morocco and supports the production of innovative projects in the artistic, digital, or academic fields
Jordan
13th and 14th December 2022
The visit to Jordan took place on the 13th and 14th of December 2022, hosted by TTI Innovation. The brainstorming session was led by Neda Kharoub, Business Consultant and Co-founder of TTI Innovation (Rennes for Training and Development). The participants also had the chance to visit Tech Works, a hub for bringing together youth, ideas, and resources to jump-start successful innovations and strengthen the country’s innovation capabilities.
Tunisia
23rd and 24th January 2023
To kick off the entrepreneurs in Tunisia, the CREACT4MED team were hosted by Minassa INCOTunisie in collaboration with RedStart Tunisie. The brainstorming session was led by Douja Gharbi, CEO of RedStart Tunisie, partner of CREACT4MED, with the participation of Ouafa Belgacem, Culture Funding Watch. The event ended with a visit to Ennejma Ezzahra design hub located at the Arab and Mediterranean Music Centre in Sidi Bou Said – a place of exchange, support and training for craftsmen and designers who want to improve their skills.
Egypt
7th and 8th February 2023
The visit to Cairo, Egypt took place on the 7th and 8th February 2023 and the team were hosted by the local BSO NilePreneurs Initiative. The inspirational talk came from Dr. Heba Labib, Director of NilePreneurs Initiative as she discussed the importance of creativity and the skills needed to succeed as an entrepreneur. The cultural visit took the group to FabLab Egypt (Fabrication Laboratory). FabLab is a space where creative individuals test out their ideas and turn them into prototypes. The FabLab team gave a tour of the premises and led an activity for our “maker” entrepreneurs.
Lebanon
23rd and 24th February 2023
The visit to Lebanon took place on the 23rd and 24th February 2023. The CREACT4MED team were hosted by Nucleus Ventures in Beirut Digital District, and the team were joined by Lynda Achkouty Mouawad, Action Coach, for an inspirational talk and Sophie Makzoume, Globivest, for the brainstorming session. The day closed with a networking event where entrepreneurs had the opportunity to talk with the speakers of the event and other successful entrepreneurs. On the second day consisted of a tour of Beirut Digital District (BDD). BDD is an all-inclusive professional urban development space in Lebanon, designing hubs where the creative digital community work together.
Palestine
24th and 25th May 2023
The Creative Mediterranean team were in Ramallah, Palestine on the 24th and 25th May 2023 for the kickoff of the selected business proposals with Asala, the Palestinian Businesswomen’s Association and selected Business Support Organisation under the project. The funded projects are: Askadar for Culture and Arts, Handmade Palestine, and Meera Adnan. CREACT4MED Project Coordinator María Ruiz de Cossío, explained the CREACT4MED roadmap outlining the project activities under the subgrant activity. Following that, the participants heard from Mr Samer Makhlouf of AlKasaba Theatre and Cinematheque, a cinema and cultural NGO in Ramallah, on fundraising for entrepreneurs focusing on individual donors and considering the aspects of the Palestinian diaspora, and Ms Rajaa Rantisi, Asala’s Executive Director, gave an inspirational talk. The first day ended with a networking cocktail where the entrepreneurs could meet other actors in the cultural and creative industries in Palestine. The second day featured a tour of Inash Al Usra, a Palestinian voluntary organization established in 1965 offering services and programs to Palestinian women and other marginalised sectors of the community as a means of empowerment, and one-to-one meetings with each entrepreneur.
