المحتوى متاح باللغة الإنجليزية

STAND Up! project is starting a 10-month program of business support activities and innovation opportunities designed for young entrepreneurs and eco-innovative business projects in the textile, clothing and fashion industry sectors.

Organized in 4 different stages, the Growing Innovation program will focus on green business model development, early-stage incubation, access to finance and international markets in 5 Mediterranean countries (Egypt, Italy, Lebanon, Spain and Tunisia).

Stage 1 provides the launch of the “call for entrepreneurs and eco-innovative business projects” opening on February 15^th and declined in five different versions according to the countries involved (see below the direct links to local calls and application forms) with the purpose to select young innovators and entrepreneurs who have a sustainable business idea in the fashion, clothing and textile industry with the potential to create ecological and social value.

The selected applicants will access a 2-month capacity-building program tailored to support them in developing their green business models, access to suitable strategies turning their concepts and solutions into scalable circular businesses. The engaged project’s partner countries aim at involving about 200 start-ups and recently established companies from the Mediterranean area which will be directly committed to activities and benefit from the support of STAND Up! growing innovation assets.

Each country will select 40 participants in the call.

The forthcoming stages of the Growing Innovation program and calls to access related activities are scheduled as follows:

• May 2021: program stage 2 - Early-stage incubation (4 innovators/entrepreneurs selected per country).
• September 2021: program stage 3 - Soft-landing voucher scheme (4 innovators/entrepreneurs selected per country).
• October 2021: program stage 4 - Access to finance (5 innovators/entrepreneurs selected per country).

Who can apply to the Stage 1 call?

The Stage 1 call is mainly addressed to young independent innovators and entrepreneurs (24-35 years old), students from fashion, textile and design universities working on innovative business projects, small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), industries and organizations working on spin-off projects, from the textile and fashion sectors.

Promotion methods, recruitment channels and selection methodology will be inclusive and ensure equal opportunities for women and young entrepreneurs.

What criteria must the proposed projects meet?

The eligible projects should offer products, services, designs, business models or technologies leading to sustainable and circular innovations in the industry with the potential of scalability, combining innovation, technology and economic viability as well as being compliant with the environment and create a sustainable impact on the circular economy.

Interested in joying this experience?

Explore the national calls on the partners´ websites and download the related application form.

Egypt - SEKEM Development Foundation

The direct link to the SEKEM Development Foundation Call will come soon

Italy - Prato Textile Museum Foundation

https://www.museodeltessuto.it/standup-call1-capacity-building-program

Lebanon - Berytech Foundation                                                                                                        

https://berytech.org/programs/standup/accelerator/

Spain – TEXFOR, Textile Industry Confederation                                                                                             

https://www.texfor.es/es/servicios/innovacion-y-programas-europeos/

https://www.texfor.es/es/

Tunisia - CETTEX Textile Technical Centre                                                                                                            

STAND Up! Programme d'innovation croissante (cettex.com.tn)