On January 25th, 2023, MedTOWN project launched the Acceleration Programme for Women Social Entrepreneurs. This programme is the core of the project's demonstrative action in Tunisia and it will be developed during 2023 by the Tunisian Center for Social Entrepreneurship (TCSE), local MedTOWN partner.

It will benefit a special group of female social entrepreneurs based in the Grand Tunis. TCSE made in December 2022 an intense pre-selection of 20 women, from among the candidates who had applied to take part in this initiative, funded by the ENI CBC Med Programme, with the co-financing of the Generalitat Valenciana (Spain).

It provides technical support to the 20 women social entrepreneurs, who are working in sectors such as cultural and creative industries, arts and crafts, upcycling, etc.
The kick-off meeting took place in the TCSE venture center, gathering women social entrepreneurs and leading social enterprises representatives. The event was intended to be an opportunity for participants to meet and get to know each other's social enterprises better. Moreover, MedTOWN team took the chance to introduce the pre-selected social entrepreneurs to the acceleration programme’s context, next phases, and advantages.

The kick-off was designed following an interactive approach. First, women social entrepreneurs introduced themselves to the others through a pitch session, where they were able to present their social enterprises. After that, a presentation of the scope of the Acceleration Programme was given by MedTOWN team. The second part of the opening event was the most interactive, as the shortlisted candidates identified and shared their expectations of the acceleration programme. Finally, there was a closing speed dating session, where women social entrepreneurs were invited to hold a one-to-one discussion about their social enterprise with at least one other entrepreneur.

The Acceleration Programme will help women learn and be more aware of their economic and labour rights, be more competitive as social entrepreneurs and become financially self-sufficient. MedTOWN has been involved in the design and management of local private-public partnerships to provide social services of general interest to female entrepreneurs that would provide them, on the individual and collective level, with the tools and skills that can ensure their financial independence and their involvement in the public sphere. It will also increase the visibility of their products and services offline and online.