STAND Up! has selected 6 fashion and textile start-ups to access the early stage incubation phase in Tunisia. The selected ventures, which have been chosen by the Tunisian partner CITET - Centre International des Technologies de l'Environnement de Tunis, will benefit from seven months of mentoring, business services and financial support to implement their green business model within the textile and clothing industry, fostering a sustainable consumption and production in the Mediterranean.  

This cohort of green entrepreneurs, formed entirely by women, have been identified within an internal pitch carried out in collaboration with the Centre Technique du Textile en Tunisie (CETTEX), the second Tunisian partner in the project. In addition to this, all selected female candidates are under 30 years old, which completely meets the goals of the project of empowering young and women in the Mediterranean. In total, there will be 20 circular ventures supported in all five STAND Up! countries that will move on to the incubation phase. These countries are: Tunisia, Spain, Italy, Tunisia and Egypt.

The selected ventures are:

• AGARUW, an online marketplace project designed for green products and recycled textile waste developed by Mejda Khaled, a textile engineering student at the Higher Fashion Institute of Monastir with a multidisciplinary artist background in sculpture, painting, fashion and product design.
• LAMI MODE, a fashion collection made from natural fibers and dyes, mixing both contemporary attitude with a touch of Tunisian tradition and the aim of protecting the cultural heritage. The project enhances local items reaching their end of life through eco-responsible consumption. The project is conceived by Lamia Hamrouni, fashion designer and clothing technician, with 25 years of experience in tailor-made high fashion.
• CAURI, a project that concerns the creation of reusable washable menstrual panties with healthy composition that will replace disposable hygienic protections. It has been designed by the Digital Marketing Manager and eco-entrepreneur, Mouna Sanekli.
• ARTWO is an idea based on producing mats and decorative objects (bed sides, seats, etc.) and sorting of textile waste. The project is led by Sarra Bouchareb, holding a Bachelor's Degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology combined with experience in selling handicraft products and a good network of contacts in textile factories.
• ECOBRICK aims to transform textile waste into thermal insulation and ecological bricks. It’s designed by Hazar Bettaieb, a young student in industrial engineering with a Bachelor's Degree in Logistics and Transport.
• GDP TUNISIA is conceived as a web platform of green services for professionals, collectors, recyclers and craftsmen in the textile sector. The project is developed by Ibtissem Aoidhi, graduated with a Master's Degree in Quality and Productivity with 10 years of experience in supporting and monitoring the quality of automotive, textile, footwear and leather goods companies.

During the next 7 months of mentoring, which constitute the STAND Up! early stage incubation phase, the selected start-ups will be supported throughout the process of implementation and growth with a range of opportunities leading to innovative products and services such as the development of a marketing plan, legal advice, financial and technical consultancy.