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The EU-funded INVESTMED project has launched the first cycle of a 12-month Sustainable Business Management (SMB) training programme, welcoming both current and potential entrepreneurs and business owners in the green economy, blue economy, and creative & cultural sectors. 

Over 200 trainees will participate in the whole programme, with 42 trainees starting in this first cycle, and the rest in subsequent cycles. The training is delivered by LUMSA University (Italy), in collaboration with INVESTMED partners, and will offer skills development and networking opportunities to support Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in Egypt, Lebanon and Tunisia. 

The inauguration sessions took place for participants in Egypt on Wednesday 15th September, in Lebanon on Thursday 16th September, and in Tunisia on Monday 20th September. In line with INVESTMED’s priority of boosting entrepreneurship among young people and women in particular, 59% of participants are female.

The event for Tunisia opened with a welcome address by Ms. Asma Chebbi, Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning Coordinator of BUSINESSMED, the leading partner of the INVESTMED project. In Egypt, participants were welcomed by Dr. Alaa Ezz, Secretary General of the Confederation of Egyptian-European Businesses, and Lebanese trainees by Ms. Natalia Menhall, founding partner and chair of Beyond Group.

During the inauguration sessions Prof. Giovanni Ferri and Flavia Vighini from LUMSA  University presented the Sustainable Business Management (SBM) training programme, which includes online modules, coursework based on real business cases, live webinars, and individual coaching and mentoring, with the opportunity to meet investors and apply for subgrants. 

Professor Ferri said, “We are excited to kick off this first round of training to boost business knowledge and sustainability in these three important sectors in the Mediterranean. Our participants come from a wide range of backgrounds, with a great diversity of businesses and business ideas, and we look forward to fruitful outcomes from this and future cycles.” 

Furthermore, Alexandra Chimona from IED presented the e-learning platform developed by IED specifically for the needs of the project, and Cynthia Echave from EMEA presented the INVESTMED Community Building and Engagement platform which aims to support trainees in their learning and help entrepreneurs enhance their visibility and build networks. 

The INVESTMED project is co-funded by the European Union under the ENI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme 2014-2020. INVESTMED has a duration of 30 months, with a total budget of 3.8 million euros, of which 3.4 million euros are funded by the European Union (90%).

The INVESTMED Project involves 9 partners from Tunisia, Spain, Lebanon, Greece, Egypt, and Italy:

• Union of Mediterranean Confederations of Enterprises, BUSINESSMED (TU)
• Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association, EMEA (ES)
• European Institute of the Mediterranean, IEMed (ES)
• Beyond Reform and Development / Irada Group S.A.L, BRD (LE)
• Institute of Entrepreneurship Development, IED (GR)
• Libera Università Maria SS. Assunta, LUMSA (IT)
• Rumundu Social Promotion Association, RUMUNDU (IT)
• Confederation of Egyptian European Business Associations, CEEBA (EG)
• Spanish Chamber of Commerce, CCE (ES)