The INVESTMED Sustainable Business Management Academy has now successfully graduated 3 cohorts of entrepreneurs each from Egypt, Lebanon and Tunisia. Academy graduates have completed a comprehensive training programme focused on starting and running a successful business in either the green economy, blue economy, or cultural & creative industries. 

Mona Ramadan from Lebanon is one of the successfully graduated trainees. She has a Masters degree in applied microbiology and an MBA. "My passion towards entrepreneurship and environment drove me to enroll in the INVESTMED project," she explained. "The training program gave me the chance to enhance my knowledge about climate change, sustainability and sustainable development goals. In addition, it gave me an opportunity of meeting new colleagues, exchanging experience, and working towards the same goals. I learned that every act towards saving our planet counts and the solution starts with small acts that can compile to change the world."

Other graduates are also taking to social media to celebrate their achievement in taking a step closer to their business goals. 

Cohorts 4 and 5, focusing on the blue economy and cultural & creative industries respectively, will be inaugurated in the coming weeks, continuing the forward momentum. Following the course, all trainees have access to a dedicated platform to facilitate peer-to-peer sharing of knowledge and resources and promote cross-border collaboration within the entrepreneur community in the region. 

INVESTMED is funded by the EU and aims to address both economic and environmental challenges, and support new, sustainable business opportunities for young people and women in the three target countries. The training programme aims to provide both current and potential entrepreneurs and small business owners with skills development and networking opportunities to boost the sustainability and competitiveness of their enterprise and contribute to economic growth and job creation in the region. It is delivered by project partner LUMSA University (Italy).

The training academy will run in rolling cycles for a total of 12 months, alongside a complementary programme of seminars that bring together experts from around the Euro-Mediterranean region to share real-life experiences and lessons of business management in relevant fields.

So far, seminars have been held covering the sustainable energy transition, human-centred business models, and how to integrate circular economy principles into a business. The next seminar of the series will be held on February 15th.

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