Startup Tunisia

What Startup Tunisia does

Startup Tunisia is a Tunisian national government initiative launched in 2019 to operationalize the country's Startup Act, structured around three pillars: Startup Act (a 20-measure legal framework with a Label of Merit, stipends, leave-for-startup-creation rights, CIVP continuity and a good-failure scheme), Startup Ecosystem (the Partner Network certification plus the Flywheel suite of grants — AIR, AIR², DEAL, SAIL — delivered via certified Startup Support Organizations), and Startup Invest (the ANAVA Fund of Funds with a €100M target investing across 13+ underlying VC funds, complemented by a GP Incubator and a Guarantee Program). The initiative is operated by Smart Capital, a management company approved by the Tunisian Financial Markets Council, headquartered at Bloc A, Immeuble Saphir, Avenue Du Dinar, Tunis 1053.

The initiative serves four primary beneficiary groups: entrepreneurs and co-founders seeking legal protections and monthly stipends (1k–5k TND for up to one year), labeled startups seeking financing instruments (AIR 30k TND reimbursable grant, AIR² up to 200k TND pre-Series A support), domestic and international investors accessing the Fund of Funds, GP Incubator and Guarantee Program, and certified Startup Support Organizations receiving Partner Network accreditation and DEAL/SAIL grants. Distribution occurs through the portail.startup.gov.tn self-serve portal for label applications, a network of certified SSOs for ecosystem delivery, and direct outreach ([email protected]) for institutional investors. The portfolio additionally includes the Greentech Tunisie initiative with VAIR and MAIR sub-programs for ecological-transition ventures, a publicly searchable Startup Database, the College of Startups governance body, and (inactive) the SAVE COVID-19 relief program.

Startup Tunisia does not generate commercial revenue. Its programs are funded by Tunisian government appropriations and international development finance — most notably a €20M investment from KfW on behalf of the German Federal Government into the ANAVA Fund of Funds in December 2022 — and delivered to beneficiaries at no cost. The ANAVA Fund of Funds has deployed capital into MENA-region vehicles including a $5.2M commitment to Silicon Badia BIF2 (July 2022) and a $2.5M commitment to Loftyinc Alpha Fund I (March 2025). Strategic value is therefore measured in ecosystem outcomes (label issuance, SSO certification, fund commitments, visible exits such as the BioNTech/InstaDeep transaction in January 2023) rather than in direct revenue capture.

Name

Startup Tunisia

Legal name

Startup Tunisia

Website

https://startup.gov.tn

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Startup Tunisia is a national government initiative operated by Smart Capital that provides the Startup Act legal label, Flywheel financial programs (AIR, AIR², DEAL, SAIL) and the €100M-target ANAVA Fund of Funds to entrepreneurs, labeled startups, investors, and Startup Support Organizations in Tunisia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Startup Ecosystem Programs

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Startup ecosystem programs
• Public grant programs
• Fund of funds
• Startup legal framework
• Entrepreneurship support

Headquarters

HQ city

Tunis

HQ country

Tunisia

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public program management (no commercial revenue): Startup Tunisia is a national initiative and public-private partnership managed by Smart Capital. It does not sell products or services commercially. Its programs are funded by public and international sources (e.g., KfW investment in the ANAVA Fund of Funds) and provide grants, reimbursable grants, and investment to the startup ecosystem rather than generating revenue from customers.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Startup Tunisia is a national government initiative operated by Smart Capital that delivers a coordinated set of programs to nurture Tunisia's startup ecosystem. Its core offerings include the Startup Act legal framework (Label of Merit and benefits package), Flywheel financial instruments (AIR, AIR², DEAL, SAIL grants), the ANAVA Fund of Funds (€100M target investing in 13+ VC funds), the Partner Network certification for Startup Support Organizations, and ecosystem initiatives such as Greentech Tunisie.

Product overview

Startup Tunisia is a national initiative operated by Smart Capital, structured around three pillars: the Startup Act (a legal framework with 20 measures including a merit-based Label and benefits for entrepreneurs, startups, and investors), the Startup Ecosystem (comprising the Partner Network, Special Grants, and Flywheel programs including AIR, AIR², DEAL, and SAIL to support startup support organizations), and Startup Invest (centered on the ANAVA Fund of Funds with a €100M target investing in 13+ VC funds, plus the GP Incubator and Guarantee Program). The portfolio also includes the Greentech Tunisie initiative with VAIR and MAIR sub-programs, a Startup Database portal, and the College of Startups governance body.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Startup Act: A unique legal framework for startups consisting of 20 measures structured around a Label of Merit and benefits for entrepreneurs, startups, and investors.
• Startup Ecosystem
• Startup Invest
• Smart Capital
• ANAVA Fund of Funds
• Flywheel

Products and services

• Startup Act A unique legal framework for startups comprising 20 measures structured around a Label of Merit and benefits for entrepreneurs, startups, and investors.
• AIR A reimbursable grant of 30k TND enabling PoC development for very early-stage innovative projects with high scalability potential.
• AIR² A reimbursable grant of up to 200k TND supporting labeled startups in their pre-Series A phase working toward scale-up.
• DEAL A grant of up to 200k DT (60k EUR) enabling the launch of new startup support programs, with the goal of creating 6 new SSOs.
• SAIL A grant ensuring the continuity of certified SSOs based on performance and impact, sustaining the activity of 10 certified SSOs.
• ANAVA Fund of Funds A fund of funds with target size of €100M aiming to invest in 13+ investment funds dedicated to startups at seed, early, and late stages.
• Partner Network A quality certification issued to SSOs (Startup Support Organizations) to guarantee maximum added value to the ecosystem.
• GP Incubator An incubator for emerging fund managers to propel tomorrow's VC ecosystem.
• Guarantee Program Program aligning interests of entrepreneurs and investors to enable good failure schemes.
• Greentech Tunisie An ambitious initiative supporting the development of innovative solutions in the ecological transition sector by facilitating access to financing for startups and SMEs.
• Startup Database A searchable database of labeled startups in Tunisia for exploring the Tunisian entrepreneurial galaxy.

Quantifiable outcome

• ANAVA Fund of Funds target size of €100M to invest across 13+ VC funds
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• TÜBİTAK (Turkey): TÜBİTAK is the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, running national grant programs, technology development zones, and entrepreneur support programs through TEYDEB. It is a comparable government-backed innovation funding body in a neighboring Mediterranean country.
• Dubai Startup Hub (Dubai Chamber of Commerce): Dubai Startup Hub operates as part of Dubai Chamber and provides ecosystem programming, corporate-academia-startup connections, and curated events to scale startups in Dubai. It is a broader incumbent in the MENA startup ecosystem space, with more established infrastructure but less direct legal/regulatory framework than Startup Tunisia's Startup Act.
• Station F (France): Station F is the world's largest startup campus in Paris, hosting thousands of entrepreneurs with partner programs. While more commercial and campus-focused, it shares Startup Tunisia's mission of ecosystem orchestration and providing startups with structured programming and partner network access.
• Endeavor Global: Endeavor is a global high-impact entrepreneurship support organization operating in multiple emerging markets including MENA and Africa. It selects and supports high-growth entrepreneurs, functioning similarly to Startup Tunisia's SSO network but as a private nonprofit model rather than a government initiative.

Emerging players

• Smart Africa Alliance: Smart Africa is a multi-country African Union initiative driving digital transformation and innovation ecosystems across African member states. It operates in adjacent territory to Startup Tunisia's Africa-focused ambitions and coordinates cross-border startup/innovation policy.
• Norrsken Foundation / Norrsken Kigali House: Norrsken Foundation operates impact-focused entrepreneurship hubs including Norrsken Kigali House in Rwanda and Norrsken House Stockholm. It supports African startups through ecosystem programming, sharing Startup Tunisia's mission of nurturing high-impact entrepreneurship in emerging markets.

Regional players

• iHub (Kenya) / Nailab: iHub and Nailab are pioneering East African startup hubs providing incubation, acceleration, and community programming for Kenyan startups. They represent a regional African ecosystem enabler model analogous to Startup Tunisia's SSO Partner Network, but focused on the East African market.

Direct peers

• Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) - Egypt: ITIDA is the Egyptian government agency running national startup/tech entrepreneurship programs including Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centers (TIECs) and funding initiatives. It operates a comparable public-sector ecosystem framework targeting Egyptian startups, similar to Startup Tunisia's mandate.
• Monsha'at (Saudi Arabia): Monsha'at is the Saudi General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises, a government-backed national initiative operating label/certification, grant, and accelerator programs for startups. It is the most direct analog to Startup Tunisia's three-pillar model in the MENA region.
• Startup Morocco / Maroc PME: Maroc PME and Morocco's broader startup ecosystem programs (including the 212founders initiative and Tamwilcom) operate as a national government-backed startup support framework serving Moroccan entrepreneurs with funding and certification programs, structurally similar to Startup Tunisia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/startup-tunisia
• Facebookfacebook.com/startuptunisiaofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Startup Tunisia