Med'Innovant Africa 2019

Selection Committee

Hugues PARANT – CEO of Euroméditerranée

Samir ABDELKRIM – Author of Startup Lions, Entrepreneur, Columnist for Le Monde, Founder of StartupBRICS & EMERGING Valley

Yves Delafon, Président – AFRICAlink, La Communauté des Entrepreneurs d’Afrique et d’Europe

Isadora BIGOURDAN, Team Leader, facilitor & mentor - Inclusive Business & Social Innovation – Agence Française de Développement

Franck ARAUJO, Director - Accélérateur M

Frédéric RONAL, Vice-Président International Development & Cooperation - CCI Marseille Provence

Cyril CHAUVIN, Head of the "Intellectual Property / Technology & IT" Division / Direction Régionale Méditerranée - Fidal law firm

About

Euroméditerranée, a testing ground for African start-ups developing innovative SMARTCITY solutions.

For EPA Euroméditerranée, innovation has always been a “marker”, thanks to its experimentation work in thalasso-thermal loops, developing a platform for processing and recycling polluted soils and producing the multifunctional mixed city of today by imagining the “hybrid city of the future.

To support its ambition, EPA Euroméditerranée has opened up to all innovative businesses showing an interest in the area covered by the "Euroméditerranée" operation. More than seven years ago, it thus created MED’INNOVANT, a competition for innovative solutions addressing the challenges of sustainable urban development.

The aim of this major innovation event is to identify, promote and accelerate the projects of start-ups and small/medium-sized businesses wishing to develop innovative solutions or services that address sustainable city challenges in the Mediterranean and Africa regions, and can be implemented in the area covered by Euroméditerranée's operations.

In 2018, EPA Euroméditerranée opened up the competition to international entrepreneurs, particularly looking toward Africa, which has historical ties with the Aix-Marseille metropolis. Over fifty applications from African entrepreneurs were examined and a Chad start-up was selected as the Jury's Favourite.

FOCUS: KOURAN JABO, the Jury's Favourite African Start-up - MED’INNOVANT 2018 For Founder and CEO Ali Mbodou Youssouf, « Med’Innovant is an exceptional competition. It puts you in competition with innovative entrepreneurs in front of a jury composed of sustainable city professionals. For us, winning this competition has been a privilege, with numerous spinoffs. While based in Chad, Kouran Jabogagne is now becoming known in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the Aix-Marseille Provence metropolis thanks to the media coverage of Med’Innovant. »

MED’INNOVANT AFRICA, a springboard to promote African entrepreneurship

Convinced by innovators' appetite for sustainable smart city technologies, this year, EPA Euroméditerranée decided to launch a competition called MED’INNOVANT reserved for African innovators and  turn Euroméditerranée into an urban test lab between Europe and Africa.

The aim of MED’INNOVANT AFRICA is to:

• Identify African businesses capable of testing out their innovative solutions in the Ecocité Euroméditerranée district of Marseille,
• Get these businesses to set up premises in the developer's area of operation in the aim of growing their European market share, and
• Attract businesses of all sizes (contractors, SMEs and large companies from France and other European countries) wishing to develop in Africa.

The competition is backed by partners who support EPA Euroméditerranée in its open innovation initiative and want to connect with innovative African businesses (Startupbrics - organiser of the "Emerging Valley" summit, Agence Française de Développement, Accélérateur.M and the Fidal law firm) (hereinafter referred to as the "Affiliated Partners").

Affiliated Partners comprising the jury of the MED’ INNOVANT AFRICA competition alongside Euroméditerranée:

Presentation of the competition

The MED’INNOVANT AFRICA competition organised by Euroméditerranée aims to identify and support African businesses (start-ups and small/medium-sized companies) with projects to develop innovative sustainable solutions for Mediterranean and African cities.

This competition is backed by partners who support Euroméditerranée in its open innovation initiative and want to connect with African tech leaders: StartupsBricks founder of EMERGING VALLEY, AFD, Accéléateur.M, and Fidal.

What are the themes?

• Energy
• Environment
• Housing
• Mobility
• Digital
• Contactless technology and connected objects
• Sécurity
• Social and solidarity economy

Improving the urban experience using digital tools:

• Digital urban services, mobile applications and other media;
• Contactless technology and connected objects.

Offering a pleasant and hospitable urban environment: 

• Equipment for buildings or personal use that contributes to housing comfort or workplace well-being;
• Services or equipment that contribute to the quality of public spaces, community life and the security of people and property;
• Social innovation and solidarity mechanisms in the city.

Making the city greener and more energy-efficient:

• Design solutions that reduce the city’s environmental impact (energy, water, waste, space);
• Systems or equipment that facilitate urban management and mobility, as well as cost control.

What are the selection criteria?

• Identification of the need and the issue to be resolved: applicant’s ability to explain the proposed solution in terms of the identified need;
• Impact on the testing ground: the innovative solution must be able to be implemented within the EcoCité Euroméditerranée district of Marseille;
• Robustness of the project / business model: appropriateness of the solution, technical feasibility, commercial maturity, implementation timeframe, etc.
• Level of maturity of the innovative solution: demonstration of a system prototype or model in a significant operating environment;
• Quality and credibility of the team: ability to lead a project.

When is the period for applications?

• The call for applications is open continuously from 1 July 8:00 to 30 September 2019 23:59 on (UTC+1).
• Applicants must apply online, using the dedicated section

Confidentiality

The documents sent during the competition are subject to the strictest confidentiality and will only be communicated to the selection committee members. The information will only be used to allow the application of the project leader to be judged.

What are the benefits for winners?

The winners will get a dedicated « welcome pack ».

Two prizes will be awarded: a « Jury Award » and a « Jury's Favourite » with the following respective rewards:

Rewards for the winner of the "Jury Award"

• Funding of €5,000.
• A 5-minute pitch at the presentation of the MED’INNOVANT AFRICA Awards during the 3rd EMERGING VALLEY summit;
• A testing ground to test out and demonstrate the innovative solution: EcoCité Euroméditerranée (480 hectares located in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 14th and 15th arrondissements of Marseille);
• A two-hour work session with the CEO of Euroméditerranée to define the way in which the winning solution will be implemented in the EcoCité Euroméditerranée area of operation;
• 3 weeks of soft landing within Accélérateur .M located in the heart of the Cité de l’Innovation et des Savoirs Aix-Marseille;
• Legal support from the FIDAL law firm totalling 4 hours, usable over a period of 6 months from the date of the award ceremony (for issues relating to intellectual property, IT law, distribution law and company law);
• Organising of a business meeting with the Provence Promotion agency;
• A guided tour of the Euroméditerranée operating area with a Euroméditerranée representative in order to examine the winning innovation's potential fields of application;
• Visibility: press communications, social media, website and trade fairs;
• A video interview of the winner presenting his/her innovation to be broadcast on Euroméditerranée's YouTube channel).

Rewards for the "Jury's Favourite"

• A 5-minute pitch at the presentation of the MED’INNOVANT AFRICA Awards during the 3rd EMERGING VALLEY summit;
• A one-hour meeting with the CEO of Euroméditerranée to examine how to optimise the adaptation of the winning solution to the area covered by EcoCité Euroméditerranée;
• 3 weeks of soft landing within Accélérateur .M located in the heart of the Cité de l’Innovation et des Savoirs Aix-Marseille;
• Legal support from the FIDAL law firm totalling 2 hours, usable over a period of 6 months from the date of the award ceremony (for issues relating to intellectual property, IT law, distribution law and company law);
• Visibility: press communications, social media, website and trade fairs;
• A video interview of the winner presenting his/her innovation to be broadcast on Euroméditerranée's YouTube channel).

All the finalists will be offered a week of support within the AFD’s Social & Inclusive Business Camp (SIBC) acceleration program (30 Nov. to 5 Dec. 2019). Each year the «SIBC» allows some 60 African social entrepreneurs to join a dynamic international community and to accelerate the societal impacts of their projects.

Applications

With MED’INNOVANT AFRICA, grow your European market share by setting up premises in Aix-Marseille Provence, France's second biggest metropolis.

Who can apply?

MED’INNOVANT AFRICA is a competition open to African project promoters (fast-growing start-ups and small/medium-sized businesses) with an innovative solution to address a need or issue facing the Mediterranean or African SmartCity.

Applications are restricted to legal entities whose registered office is based in Africa and legal entities (start-ups or SMEs) incubated in France but whose registered office is based in Africa.

Key dates

The call for applications is open continuously from 1 September 8:00 to 30 September 2019 23:59 (UTC+1).

1 September 2019: Launch of call for applications at 8:00 UTC+1

30 September 2019: Close of call for applications at 23:59 UTC+1

Applicant selection process comprising 3 phases: 

1 to 4 October 2019:  Initial pre-selection by the Technical Committee

Phase 1 : During the week of 1 to 4 October 2019: , the Technical Committee will examine the applications and assess their eligibility. The validated applications will be submitted to the Selection Committee for their short-listing by 7 October 2019 at the latest.

7 to 18 October 2019: :  Second pre-selection by the Selection Committee*

Phase 2 : During the week of 7 to 18 October 2019,, the Selection Committee will conduct a second pre-selection to narrow down the applications to a maximum of 15 to 20.

22 to 24 October 2019: Intermediate deliberation on the choice of the finalists
Phase 3 : During the week of  22 to 24 October 2019, the Selection Committee will draw up a short list of 5 finalists out of the pre-selected applications.

By 25 October 2019 at the latest, the applicants will receive an invitation to take part in the 3rd EMERGING VALLEY international summit set to take place from EMERGING VALLEY from 3 to 5 December 2019 in Marseille and Aix-en-Provence, bringing together African tech leaders, investors, and innovation experts from Africa and the world at large. Against this backdrop, the finalists will present their pitches, and the prizes will be awarded to the winners.

Between 4 and 5 December 2019 : hearing the finalists by the Selction Committee.

Awarding of the prizes to the 2 winners (public session)

*Composition of the Technical Committee: representatives of the Euroméditerranée Urban Development Agency.

* Composition of the Selection Committee: Euroméditerranée - Startupbrics - organiser of the "Emerging Valley" international summit, AfricaLink, Agence Française de Développement, Marseille-Provence Chamber of commerce and industry, Accélérateur.M and the Fidal law firm.

Affiliated Partners

With MED’INNOVANT AFRICA – the competition for innovative solutions – Euroméditerranée is keen to assert its leadership and specificity in the sphere of sustainable urban planning in the Mediterranean.

Indeed, Euroméditerranée has a great many assets, in particular “a unique testing ground for urban innovation in France, for testing out market approaches that represent a host of business opportunities for your organisation".

Why support the competition?

• To stand out by positioning yourself as a player involved at grassroots level with the leaders of the African tech industry
• To develop your business network and share your expertise in the sphere of the sustainable Mediterranean and African city
• To be part of the jury that will select the winners

Extensive media coverage

• Dedicated websitewww.euromediterranee.fr/medinnovantafrica
• Purchase of advertising space in economic and specialised media (including La Tribune Afrique)
• Organising of press relations
• Communication plan to be deployed on social media
• Presentation of the MED’INNOVANT AFRICA Awards during the EMERGING VALLEY international summit

Join us and get involved at grassroots level with tomorrow's "African gems"! dominique.brunet@euromediterranee.fr

EMERGING VALLEY 

Established in Aix-Marseille in 2017, the new hub for emerging innovations between Europe and Africa EMERGING VALLEY is the international summit which attracts African and emerging investors, start-ups and digital ecosystems to Provence looking to raise their profile internationally, develop business relations and boost their global impact.

https://www.emergingvalley.co

AFD

A public financial institution geared towards sustainable development, AFD is the central agency overseeing France’s development policy. The agency is involved in projects which bring tangible support to populations every day in developing and emerging countries and overseas territories. Working in multiple sectors (energy, health, biodiversity, water, digital, education), the AFD injected 11.4 billion euros of funding into high-impact social and environmental projects in 2018.

http://www.afd.fr

ACCELERATEUR.M

Accélérateur.M provides accelerated start-ups with a tailored assistance programme to support their local and international development through a combination of expertise, coaching, mentoring, testing, networking and other services. Accélérateur.M also offers project developers a ‘time-saving’ à la carte service to conquer new markets, fund growth or recruit talents.

www.twitter.com/AccelerateurM
www.linkedin.com/company/accelerateurm

FIDAL

FIDAL solicitors has put together a basket of legal and tax services dedicated to the boldest, most talented start-ups, giving them access to its expertise in intellectual property strategy as well as comprehensive legal and tax advice, particularly with regard to investment capital.

www.fidal.com

AFRICA LINK

Africalink is a community of European and African entrepreneurs created by CCIMP with support from the Metropolis. Its purpose is to encourage the development of partnerships and business links in both directions between Europe and Africa. The idea is to “grow rich together”, economically, culturally and socially.

www.africalink.fr

CCI MARSEILLE PROVENCE

The oldest Chamber of Commerce in the world, created in 1599, is also the leading accelerator for 105,000 companies in the Aix-Marseille Provence region. Today’s economic, institutional and societal transformations are profound. Too often experienced passively, they should be seen as opportunities that CCIMP helps businesses to take by providing support, from creation to sale. Internationally, CCIMP is convinced that the Aix-Marseille Provence territory can become an essential hub for economic relations with Africa.

www.ccimp.com

Contact

Etablissement Public d’Aménagement Euroméditerranée
Dominique Brunet Chef de projet Marketing, Communication Economique et Emploi,
Tél : +33(0) 491 144 504,
Email : dominique.brunet@euromediterranee.fr.