AgriTech4Tunisia brings 12 innovators to the stage

The Demo Day marks the culmination of an intensive journey designed to identify, support and accelerate the next generation of agri-food innovators. Over the course of the programme, participating teams have developed and refined their solutions with the potential to respond to some of the most pressing challenges facing Tunisia’s agricultural sector.

From call for applications to acceleration

The AgriTech4Tunisia Innovation Challenge was launched to identify promising innovators developing practical, scalable and technology-driven solutions across key areas of the agri-food sector.

Following the launch of the Call for Applications, innovators from across the world were invited to present solutions addressing priority challenges including water management and smart irrigation, precision agriculture, climate-smart services, post-harvest and market access, agri-finance, value chains and circular economy, and digital agricultural extension. Which resulted in +200 applications from over 20 countries.

The selected 24 innovators subsequently participated in an intensive four-day Bootcamp, in person, in Tunis, bringing together agribusinesses, agricultural stakeholders, researchers, mentors and experts. The Bootcamp combined practical learning with mentoring, peer-to-peer exchange and field visits, giving teams the opportunity to better understand user needs, strengthen their business models and refine their solutions in relation to real agricultural challenges.

Following the Bootcamp, 12 teams were selected to participate in the Acceleration Programme.

The five-month Acceleration Programme provided the selected teams with 10 workshops, 53 tailored support sessions, and guidance from 14 mentors and experts to strengthen market validation, business models, pilot testing, and investment readiness. The programme also created opportunities for innovators to engage with the wider Tunisian agricultural and innovation ecosystem, while connecting them with researchers and sectoral experts who could contribute to the further development of their solutions. Through farmers’ exchange sessions, the initiative also engaged 30+ farmers and 65+ ecosystem actors, fostering connections between innovators, end users, and potential partners.

This approach reflects the core ambition of the AgriTech4Tunisia Innovation Challenge: to bridge innovation, science and real-world agricultural needs while creating stronger pathways between entrepreneurs, research institutions, public actors, investors and end users.

Demo Day: From innovation to opportunity

The journey will culminate on 29 October at The Dot in Tunis, at 15:00 where the 12 teams will present their innovations to an audience of stakeholders from Tunisia's entrepreneurial, agricultural, research, investment and innovation ecosystems.

During the Demo Day, each team will pitch its solution, highlighting the challenge it addresses, its technology and value proposition, progress achieved throughout the acceleration programme, and its ambitions for future growth and impact.

The event will provide an important platform for the teams to gain visibility, receive feedback, build strategic connections and explore opportunities for partnerships, investment, piloting and market access.

More than a final pitching event, the Demo Day represents a transition point for the participating innovators, from structured acceleration support towards the next stage of their entrepreneurial journeys.

“The AgriTech4Tunisia Innovation Challenge is about creating the conditions for promising ideas to become viable solutions with a real impact on Tunisia’s agri-food sector. The Demo Day is an opportunity to put these innovators in front of the people and organisations who can help them take their solutions further.” - Aya Mounir, MENA Ecosystem Engagement, Communication and Project Specialist, CGIAR Accelerate for Impact Platform (A4IP)

Aya Mounir

MENA Ecosystem Engagement and Project Support

About AgriTech4Tunisia Innovation Challenge

This project is co-funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the CGIAR Scaling for Impact Program. It is led by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT through the CGIAR Accelerate for Impact Platform (A4IP ), and implemented in collaboration with CGIAR Centers - International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), and local institutions L’Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles (IRESA). Endorsed by Tunisia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Fisheries. This project supported by a network of national, regional, and international partners: MAZAM, L’Ecole Supérieure des Industries Alimentaires de Tunis (ESIAT), the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM Bari), Il Centro Nazionale Agritech (Fondazione Agritech), Almacube, E4Impact, the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean area (PRIMA), the Union of Mediterranean Confederations of Enterprises (BUSINESSMED), the Climate Resilient Africa Fund (CRAF), and the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD).

The programme supports solutions across seven priority areas:

Water management and smart irrigation
Precision agriculture
Climate-smart agricultural services
Post-harvest solutions and market access
Agri-finance
Value chains and circular economy
Digital agricultural extension

Through its different stages from the Call for Applications and Bootcamp to the Acceleration Programme, the AgriTech4Tunisia Innovation Challenge aims to create stronger pathways for innovation to reach farmers, businesses and other end users.

Register here to join us at Demo Day