During a ceremony held on Thursday, September 3, in Tunis, Orange Tunisia unveiled the Tunisian laureates of the 16th edition of the Orange Prize for Social Entrepreneurship in Africa and the Middle East (POESAM).
This edition also marks the second consecutive year of the National Female Prize, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Tunisia, with funding from Canada. This prize rewards a woman-led entrepreneurial project and reinforces the commitment to female entrepreneurship and inclusive innovation.
An edition marked by strong mobilization
For this 16th edition, the call for applications generated strong interest, with 156 innovative, technological and impact-driven projects submitted. This participation testifies to the dynamism of the Tunisian entrepreneurial ecosystem and to the ability of entrepreneurs to mobilize technologies to address concrete challenges in diverse areas such as education, health, agriculture, energy and the environment.
At the end of the selection process, six finalists presented their projects before a jury of experts drawn from the entrepreneurial, investment, innovation and support ecosystems.
Among them, three women-led projects were also in the running for the National Female Prize by UNDP Tunisia:
- Anis Ben Ghalia, with CHITELIX (BioTech), a solution for valorizing blue crab waste to produce chitosan and durable biomaterials;
- Oussama Houcine, with Eco xtreme (AgriTech), which offers a mobile solar pumping solution made from recycled plastic to facilitate access to water in arid areas;
- Nejah Cherif, with HandiSuccess International (HRTech), a digital platform promoting the professional inclusion of people with disabilities;
- Taycir Chouk, with Readdly (EdTech), an artificial intelligence-based application offering personalized pathways for dyslexic children;
- Amal Chebbi, with PigmentOCO (CleanTech), which develops sustainable textile technologies notably reducing water, energy and chemical consumption;
- Raoua Kekli, with Tri-up empowerment hub (SocialTech), a digital ecosystem promoting the professional inclusion of people with Down syndrome.
At the conclusion of the presentations and jury deliberations, three projects were distinguished across four prizes:
- Anis Ben Ghalia, 1st prize, for his project CHITELIX;
- Amal Chebbi, 2nd prize and winner of the National Female Prize by UNDP Tunisia, for her project PigmentOCO;
- Nejah Cherif, 3rd prize, for her project HandiSuccess International;
The jury consisted of Stéphane Varret (Orange Tunisia), Celine Moyroud (UNDP Tunisia), Faten Aissi (Flat6Labs Tunisia), Zied Ben Othman (Smart Capital), Ali Mnif (Digital Africa) and Mayssa Mrabet (Westerwelle House Tunisia), with guests from the media and the entrepreneurial and CSR ecosystems in Tunisia.
The top three laureates win respectively 15 000 DT, 10 000 DT and 5 000 DT. The winner of the National Female Prize by UNDP Tunisia additionally receives equipment worth 10 000 DT.
A gateway to the international stage
The three Tunisian laureates will participate in the POESAM international grand final, alongside the winners from the other 16 countries in Africa and the Middle East where the Orange Group operates.
They will compete for the three major international prizes, worth €25,000, €15,000 and €10,000 respectively.
Moreover, the three Tunisian projects led by women will be eligible for the International Female Prize, endowed with €20,000: Amal Chebbi, with PigmentOCO, Taycir Chouk, with Readdly, and Raoua Kekli, with Tri-up empowerment hub.
Beyond the awards, the laureates will be able to benefit from opportunities offered by Orange Tunisia and the Orange Group in terms of business, networking, coaching and support, to strengthen their projects and accelerate their development.
Through POESAM, Orange Tunisia continues its commitment to innovative and impact-driven entrepreneurship, alongside UNDP Tunisia and its partners, to support entrepreneurial solutions addressing the economic, social and environmental challenges of tomorrow.
