Italy intends to strengthen its partnerships with Tunisian startups and facilitate their development in European markets. On the occasion of the third edition of BIGTECH Africa, organized on October 13–14, 2026 at the Cité de la Culture in Tunis, the Italian ambassador to Tunisia, Alessandro Prunas, presented his country’s ambitions in terms of technological cooperation, investment, and support for innovative companies.
Italy marked this edition by its participation with the event’s largest national pavilion, named Italian Innovation Hub, coordinated by the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Tunisia.
This pavilion brought together several Italian programs supporting Tunisian startups, as well as associations specializing in business acceleration, access to investors, and international development.
Italy, a springboard to the European market
Opening a roundtable devoted to partnerships between the Italian and Tunisian innovation ecosystems, Alessandro Prunas emphasized Rome’s willingness to strengthen the ties between entrepreneurs on both sides of the Mediterranean.
“Italy is not only a nearby market, but a strategic base for your growth,” he stated to Tunisian startups.
The ambassador notably presented Italy as a gateway to a European market of about 450 million consumers, thanks to its geographic proximity to Tunisia and its integration into the European economy.
He specified that the objective of this cooperation was to bring together ideas, skills, and capital in order to create new growth and innovation opportunities across the entire Mediterranean region.
Operational support programs already in place
Beyond statements of intent, several Italian initiatives already have activities in Tunisia.
The Lab Innova for Africa program, led by the ICE, has supported more than 800 companies, including 137 Tunisian, according to information provided at the event.
Another initiative, the Terna Innovation Zone, inaugurated in Tunis in January 2025, has accelerated 10 Tunisian startups, five in 2025 and five more in 2026. This program focuses in particular on innovative solutions in the energy sector.
The Innovatech project, for its part, has supported 19 microenterprises and small businesses. It operates notably in the fields of information technologies and renewable energies, with particular attention to the employability of young people and women.
The Italian Innovation Hub has also hosted representatives from InnovUp, the Fintech District, and the Italian Business Angels Network (IBAN), an Italian network of private investors.
These organizations can help connect Tunisian young companies with industrial partners, accelerators, and potential investors.
Eleven Tunisian startups expected in Italy
The cooperation should also translate into new opportunities for international visibility.
According to information presented at BIGTECH Africa, 11 Tunisian startups are to be accompanied to Rome and Naples to participate in Maker Faire Rome, from October 23 to 25, 2026.
This participation should allow them to present their projects and meet European innovation players and investors.
The Italian ambassador also recalled the presence of more than 1,000 Italian companies in Tunisia, which constitutes an industrial and commercial base likely to foster future technological partnerships.
A Tunisian ecosystem seeking new outlets
BIGTECH Africa 2026 brought together more than 3,000 participants and nearly 80 exhibitors, including 68 startups, around artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud, financial technologies, and digital transformation.
During the event, the Minister of Communications Technologies, Sofiene Hemissi, recalled that Tunisia now has more than 1,500 startups labeled under the Startup Act.
For Tunisian young companies, closer ties with Italian players could facilitate access to international networks, specialized skills, and new commercial outlets.
However, these prospects remain linked to the realization of partnerships, the ability of companies to mobilize financing, and their capacity to develop on foreign markets.
Through its significant presence at BIGTECH Africa, Italy thus confirms its intention to make technological cooperation a new axis of its economic relations with Tunisia.
