ANIMA Investment Network

What ANIMA Investment Network does

ANIMA Investment Network is a French non-profit association (Association loi 1901) founded in 2006 and headquartered in Marseille, operating as a cooperation network for economic development across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The network comprises 70 member organisations and 100+ ecosystem partners across 20 countries, supplemented by a pool of 400+ mobilisable experts, and serves government agencies, investment promotion organisations, innovation clusters, startups, enterprises, and individual consultants working in Euro-Mediterranean economic cooperation. ANIMA delivers services including investment promotion, territorial marketing, cluster development, diaspora entrepreneurship support, and capacity building, executed primarily through large-scale EU co-financed projects such as Euromed Clusters Forward (€7.8M), THE NEXT SOCIETY (€7.7M), and Lebanon Innovate.

Its core technology assets are modest and collaboration-focused rather than AI-driven: the ANIMApp web platform provides member directory, geolocation, event registration, and access to financing opportunities; Hub MEET Africa supports African diaspora entrepreneurs with guidance and partner identification; and the Cluster MAP tool (renamed from MAPSTER) supports inter-cluster networking. The business model is essentially that of a project-coordinating non-profit: the organisation competes for and manages EU grants and bilateral development agency contracts (GIZ, Enabel, Expertise France, AFD), contributing its network and project engineering capabilities, and supplements this with a 70-member association. Across 17 years ANIMA has managed a cumulative project budget of approximately €50M and implemented 37 projects benefiting 450+ organisations. Distribution is event-driven and partnership-led, with flagship annual convenings such as EUROMED DAYS and the Mediterranean Leaders Awards serving as the primary engagement channels for public and private sector leaders.

Name

ANIMA Investment Network

Legal name

ANIMA INVESTMENT NETWORK (Association loi 1901)

Website

https://anima.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ANIMA Investment Network is a Marseille-based non-profit cooperation network, founded in 2006, that connects 70 member organisations and 100+ partners across 20 countries to drive Euro-Mediterranean economic development, investment promotion, and cluster growth through EU-funded projects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Economic Development Cooperation

NAICS

Miscellaneous Intermediation (52391), Miscellaneous Financial Investment Activities (523999)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Growth, Trade & Private Sector Development Programs (BPADABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ), Technical Assistance, Policy Lending & Capacity Building Programs (BPADACAN)

Keywords

• Economic development services
• Investment promotion
• Innovation cluster networks
• Euro-Mediterranean cooperation
• Startup ecosystem support

Headquarters

HQ city

Marseille

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. EU-Funded Project Grants: Primary revenue stream from European Union co-financed programs including Euromed Clusters Forward (7.8M€ budget, 90% EU co-financed), THE NEXT SOCIETY (7.7M€ budget, 90% EU co-financed), Lebanon Innovate (42-month EU-funded program), and various other development cooperation projects.
2. Bilateral Development Agency Funding: Projects funded by development agencies including GIZ Morocco (PROMET project), Enabel (Link up Africa), AFD, and other institutional donors supporting economic development initiatives.
3. Network Membership: Membership organization with 70 member organisations and 100+ ecosystem partners across 20 countries contributing to network operations and collaborative initiatives.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

ANIMA Investment Network is a cooperation network for economic development across Europe, Middle East, and Africa, connecting 70+ member organizations across 20 countries. It facilitates cross-border investment promotion, innovation cluster development, startup ecosystem support, and diaspora entrepreneurship programs through EU-funded projects, training academies, and flagship events. Its service portfolio combines project management for international development cooperation, the ANIMApp collaborative web platform for members, and high-profile networking forums such as EUROMED DAYS.

Product overview

ANIMA Investment Network is a cooperation network for economic development across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. It is not a technology product company but rather a network organization that offers economic development expertise, investment promotion, impact management, territorial marketing, innovation development, and diaspora talent mobilization. Its service portfolio includes a collaborative web platform (ANIMApp) and a broad range of international cooperation projects organized around geographic and thematic focuses: Euromed Clusters Forward (regional cluster cooperation), THE NEXT SOCIETY (Mediterranean innovation ecosystem), Lebanon Innovate (Lebanese entrepreneurship support), Start Africa Maroc (sub-Saharan student entrepreneurship in Morocco), REA-BRIDGE Africa and MEET Africa (African diaspora entrepreneurship), Call Me Blue (Mediterranean blue economy clusters), Soft-Landing Provence Africa Connect (African startup soft landing in France), a Mentoring Programme for Moroccan Start-ups (GIZ-supported), and the Mediterranean Leaders Awards (annual recognition initiative). These offerings collectively position ANIMA as a convening and project-coordination body rather than a standalone SaaS or technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ANIMApp Collaborative Web Platform A web-based collaborative platform providing networking, member directory with geolocation, event registration, financing opportunity access, and news sharing among ANIMA network members across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
• Euromed Clusters Forward A €7.8 million project co-financed at 90% by the European Union and managed by ANIMA, focused on fostering cooperation between Mediterranean cluster alliances, building capacity for sustainable industries, and accelerating technological innovation across the region.
• THE NEXT SOCIETY An open community of change makers engaged in innovation and economic development spanning Europe and Mediterranean countries, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, corporates, NGOs, innovation hubs, and research organizations. The program has a four-year action plan co-funded by the EU at 90% for €7.7 million.
• Lebanon Innovate A 42-month programme funded by the European Union to revitalize the Lebanese entrepreneurial ecosystem and productive economy, with initiatives including the Lebanon Innovate Academy for European innovation funding and cross-border tech venture building.
• Start Africa Maroc An entrepreneurship support programme under the EU-funded Link up Africa programme, aimed at improving employment prospects for sub-Saharan African students in Morocco through career centres, pre-incubation support, and business project development.
• Soft-Landing Provence Africa Connect A programme connecting African and European innovation ecosystems, enabling African startups to immerse in the Aix-Marseille-Provence innovation ecosystem, find partners and clients, and access soft-landing support. Multiple annual editions have been conducted.
• REA-BRIDGE Africa A project led by a consortium of Business France and ANIMA to sustainably strengthen African entrepreneurial ecosystems and build bridges through entrepreneurship between Europe and Africa.
• MEET Africa A programme supporting African diaspora entrepreneurs through the MEET Africa Hub, an online information and guidance platform connecting diaspora entrepreneurs with coaching and financing services across Africa and Europe.
• Call Me Blue A project to strengthen existing cluster alliances in the Mediterranean region and foster the emergence of strategic maritime clusters in North Africa, promoting the blue economy through training, business forums, and knowledge transfer.
• Mentoring and Expertise Programme for Moroccan Start-ups (MSEC) A mentoring and expertise programme developed with the Federation of the Startup Ecosystem in Morocco (MSEC), part of the GIZ PROMET project. It provides startups in Moroccan accelerators with collective training sessions, individual coaching, and a toolkit for replicating mentorship programmes.
• ANIMA Mediterranean Leaders Awards An annual awards programme established in 2024 to honor individuals whose leadership, vision, and commitment strengthen dialogue, cooperation, and prosperity across the Mediterranean region. Three editions held in Marseille (2024), Tunis (2025), and Athens (2026), with 11 leaders honored.

Quantifiable outcome

• 450+ beneficiary organisations reached through implemented projects
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, strategic and emerging.

• Invest CyprusflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Invest Cyprus and ANIMA co-hosted EUROMED DAYS 2026, a three-day regional investment forum in Nicosia, Cyprus (June 15-17, 2026) during Cyprus' Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The flagship event brought together senior leaders from public and private sectors across Europe, Mediterranean, Africa and beyond, marking ANIMA's 20th anniversary and reinforcing Cyprus' strategic role as a bridge between Europe and the wider Mediterranean region.
• Enterprise GreeceflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026Enterprise Greece partnered with ANIMA to host the Euro-Mediterranean Roadmap 2036 symposium and Mediterranean Leaders Awards 2026 ceremony in Athens, celebrating two decades of ANIMA's impact. Enterprise Greece's Director General Vaso Kyrkou emphasized how ANIMA's network helped promote Greek economic actors to international audiences through training seminars and launch conferences.
• BerytechcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2025Berytech co-organizes Lebanon Connect 2025 online matchmaking event with ANIMA and EBN, focusing on ICT, healthcare and agrifood sectors to connect Lebanon with the European Union. Berytech CEO Maroun N. Chammas serves as Mediterranean Leaders Awardee 2026.
• Business FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 December 2021ANIMA and Business France jointly lead the REA-BRIDGE Africa project consortium, officially launched at Emerging Valley 2021 in Marseille. The project aims to strengthen African entrepreneurial ecosystems and connect them with French counterparts through mentoring, network twinning, and capacity building. Philippe Yvergniaux served as Director of the project.
• Expertise FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANIMA and Expertise France partner on MEET Africa program (MEET Africa 2), jointly launching the Hub MEET Africa platform for African diaspora entrepreneurs. Expertise France implements the EU-funded program in partnership with ANIMA Investment Network.
• MSEC (Fédération de l'Écosystème Startup au Maroc)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSEC Federation brings together around twenty innovation players in Morocco and serves as key interlocutor for ANIMA's mentoring and expertise program. The partnership involves 5 Moroccan accelerators (H7, Startup Maroc, La Startup Station, Ce3M) and supports 51 startups across 11 regions.
• CONECT InternationalstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCONECT (Confédération des Entreprises Citoyennes de Tunisie), a leading Tunisian employers' organisation, partners with ANIMA for Mediterranean Leaders Awards. CONECT President Tarak Cherif also serves as President of ANIMA Investment Network, emphasizing the deep institutional ties between the organizations.
• EBN (European Business and Innovation Centre Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEBN partners with ANIMA on Lebanon Innovate and Lebanon Connect initiatives, providing EU-level innovation network support and business incubator expertise for Lebanese entrepreneurial ecosystem revitalization.
• Aix-Marseille-Provence MetropoliscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in Soft-Landing Provence Africa Connect program, welcoming African startups into the innovation ecosystem. The program allows entrepreneurs to immerse in the Aix-Marseille-Provence innovation ecosystem to find partners, clients, and receive targeted support.
• EBAN (European Trade Association for Business Angels)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing cooperation with EBAN led to the creation of MBAN (Middle East North Africa Network for Business Angels, Seed Funds and Early Stage Market Players). ANIMA's implication helped incubate this network connecting European and Mediterranean startup ecosystems.
• Biovalley (Pan-European Health Cluster)emergingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEncounter at Euromed Clusters Forward event led CE3M Morocco to collaborate with Biovalley (Germany, France, Switzerland), resulting in the first Med Tech Forum in Morocco (2022) and creation of a medical cluster focused on healthcare innovation.
• CARA Cluster (France)emergingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration between CARA (France) and CE3M (Morocco) through The Next Society and Euromed Clusters Forward led to creation of a two-wheel mobility cluster (scooters, e-scooters, bikes) with innovative retrofitting and battery repurposing project, backed by Moroccan Ministry of Industry.
• Capenergies Cluster (France)emergingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince Cluster Tour in Marseille, Capenergies and CE3M established an annual matchmaking event via B2MATCH platform, funded by African Development Bank, facilitating meetings between investors, funders, and innovative companies in the energy transition sector.
• Euromed Clusters Forward ConsortiumflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner90% EU co-financed project with 7.8M€ total budget, managed by ANIMA Investment Network. Supports cluster development across Mediterranean region including CE3M Morocco, Cluster Valbiom Morocco, and numerous other cluster organizations through training, missions, and collaborative initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Enterprise Greece: Greece's national investment promotion agency that partnered with ANIMA to host the Athens Euro-Mediterranean Roadmap symposium and Mediterranean Leaders Awards; comparable as a publicly-mandated investment promotion actor with similar service lines for Greek and Mediterranean clients.
• Invest Cyprus: Cyprus's national investment promotion agency that co-hosted EUROMED DAYS 2026 in Nicosia with ANIMA; shares the investment-promotion mandate and Mediterranean bridge positioning but operates as a national rather than multi-country network.

Broad incumbents

• Business France: France's national investment promotion and export agency, joint lead with ANIMA on the REA-BRIDGE Africa consortium; serves overlapping enterprise and investor clients seeking France–Mediterranean–Africa market entry.
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit): Germany's federal development agency, a major EU and bilateral aid implementer that co-funds and manages programs in the same Mediterranean and North African geographies as ANIMA — including the PROMET project ANIMA delivered for GIZ Morocco.
• Expertise France: France's international technical cooperation agency, partnering with ANIMA on EU-funded initiatives such as the MEET Africa diaspora platform; competes for and co-implements the same French-funded Mediterranean programs.
• Enabel (Belgian Development Agency): Belgian bilateral development agency implementing the EU-funded Link up Africa / Start Africa Maroc program that ANIMA delivers through; operates in the same North and Sub-Saharan African geographies with a similar mandate.

Direct peers

• EBN (European Business and Innovation Centre Network): EU-level network of business and innovation centres, partnering with ANIMA on Lebanon Innovate and Lebanon Connect; comparable as a member-based innovation/BIC network serving startups and clusters across Europe and the Mediterranean.
• Anna Lindh Foundation: Euro-Mediterranean intergovernmental network promoting intercultural dialogue and civil-society cooperation across the same 20+ countries ANIMA serves; comparable as a flagship Euro-Med cooperation body with overlapping membership-network and event-led engagement model.
• EBAN (European Trade Association for Business Angels, Seed Funds and Early Stage Market Players): Pan-European business angel and early-stage investor network whose long-standing collaboration with ANIMA created MBAN (the MENA Business Angels Network); overlaps with ANIMA on cross-border startup and investor activation across the Euro-Med region.
• CONECT International: Tunisian confederation of citizen enterprises whose President (Tarak Cherif) is also President of ANIMA; a partner on Mediterranean Leaders Awards with directly overlapping membership-network, employer-organisation and southern-Mediterranean policy positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Anima_Network
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCalSUjPlAtSXSi-p4XP-uuQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/ANIMA-Investment-Network-79640095481
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/anima_5

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about ANIMA Investment Network