Winners
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« SEN or’Dur is a completely new innovative solution in Senegal which can be used to solve the problem of plastic waste, through modernisation of a plastic bottle collection system by installing collection machines. »
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« The CLINICPLANT application can be used by farmers to rapidly diagnose crop diseases and instantly obtain the appropriate biological treatments from a simple photograph of the plant. It uses leading-edge artificial intelligence technology for high quality image recognition, and provides farmers with good prevention practices. »
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2018 edition
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« MED’INNOVANT is an extraordinary competition in which you are pitted against other innovative entrepreneurs and appraised by a panel of professionals in the ‘sustainable city’ industry. Winning this competition was a huge privilege for us and we’ve benefited in so many ways. Today, although it is based in Chad, Kouran Jabo is earning a growing reputation in Aix-Marseille-Provence’s entrepreneurship ecosystem boosted by the media coverage MED’INNOVANT attracts.
Ali Mbodou Youssouf, CEO KOURAN JABO, Jury’s African Favourite, MED’INNOVANT 2018 |
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.
| MED’INNOVANT AFRICA, a unique event to connect African tech leaders with the Aix-Marseille ecosystem Hugues Parant, CEO of Euroméditerranée |
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.
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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.
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.
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.
| AFD actively supports entrepreneurs who have positive social impacts in Africa. Through its "Choose Africa" initiative, AFD will devote €2.5 billion to support African entrepreneurs between now and 2022. A total of nearly 10,000 small and medium-sized businesses will benefit from this initiative. It is supplemented with programmes to accelerate and structure Africa's entrepreneurial ecosystem, such as the Social & Inclusive Business Camp that will take place in Marseille in early December, after 4 months of remote coaching, and will be attended by the winners of the MedInnovant Africa 2019 competition. |
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
| The approach of Accélérateur M is clearly in line with the philosophy of the Medinnovant Africa competition, since the African continent and the Mediterranean are priority geographical regions for the sourcing of start-ups for its M’PowerUp programme. This positioning is consistent with the roadmap of the Aix Marseille Provence Metropolis, which wants to become a European hub for the Mediterranean and Africa regions. The first cohort only included one start-up from Tunisia. Through the Medinnovant Africa competition, 2 to 3 times more African businesses should join the power up programme. |
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.
| Fidal is a legal practice which offers augmented counseling to the boldest and most talented start-ups by enabling them to benefit from all of the technical expertise of the Marseille-based Fidal Tech team, which offers an innovative approach and technical quality worthy of the top legals firms specialized in intellectual property, digital technologies, private equity and global legal and tax strategies. |
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.
| Yves Delafon has traveled Africa for more than 20 years for his professional activities. Yves is a banker, administrator of the BCI (Bank for International Trade) which is an establishment located in Mauritania and radiates throughout the Francophone Africa. Yves Delafon became, in December 2017, very naturally the president of Africalink that he contributes to develop strongly "here and there". Yves is also convinced that it is time to change our approach to the African continent to go "in business mode". |
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.
| Frédéric Ronal is Vice President of the CCIMP, in charge of Opening to the World. Convinced that the Africa Europe business focus is essential to the economic future of our region, Frédéric has enabled the CCIMP to take strong initiatives such as the creation of Africalink and the launch of the project to create la "Maison de l'Afrique" in Marseille. Frederic is also a banker (Arkéa Banque) and the President of the Regional Committee of Banks. |
Contact, Press and Photo Gallery
Etablissement Public d’Aménagement Euroméditerranée
Dominique Brunet, Chef de projet Marketing, Communication Economique et Emploi,
Phone : +33(0) 491 144 504
Email : dominique.brunet@euromediterranee.fr.
Press review
Press packs and releases :
2019
- December, 5 of 2019 - Med'Innovant Africa 2019
- December, 5 of 2019 - Med'Innovant Africa - Les innovateurs primés sont Sen'Or Dur et Promagric
- July, 4 of 2019 - Lancement de Med'Innovant Africa 2019
Photo Gallery 2019
Videos of 2019
Best of 2019
Plenary session 2019
Selection comitee at thecamp
Social Wall
Social Wall Med'Innovant Africa par Euromed_MRS