The Citizen Centric Digitalization 4 Tunisia (CCD4 Tunisia) program was launched in 2021 to address the urgent need for digital transformation of public services in Tunisia.
It is supported by the Social Innovators Network, GIZ Tunisia through the Digital Transformation program, and Future Islands.
The main objective of the program is to support innovators with citizen-centered digital solutions to modernize public services and improve the quality of life for Tunisians. The program lasted 15 months and helped support 9 startups in creating digital solutions tailored to citizens’ needs, with an emphasis on inclusive and interactive services.
Public services in Tunisia face significant challenges in meeting citizens’ expectations, particularly in terms of accessibility, efficiency, and digitalization. Municipalities, in particular, are confronted with challenges in managing social services, the environment, and communication with citizens. There is also a lack of digital solutions tailored to these challenges, hindering the modernization of the public sector. As a result, it became essential to rethink the approach to public management and encourage citizen engagement through innovative digital tools.
The CCD4 Tunisia program provided a supportive framework for the 9 selected startups, assisting them in developing citizen-centered digital solutions. This process included key steps such as ecosystem mapping, involving interviews with startups, municipalities, and public institutions, as well as co-creation workshops with local stakeholders. Innovators received training on crucial topics such as design sprints, digital marketing, cybersecurity, and digitalizing public services. Community testing was conducted to assess the impact of the solutions, and a closing event was organized to showcase the digital products developed and connect them with technical and financial partners.
The program resulted in the development of 8 digital solutions that were tested and validated, aimed at improving public service management. Community testing allowed for gathering feedback from end-users and enhanced the adaptability of the solutions. CCD4 Tunisia also fostered the involvement of municipalities (such as Ras Jbal, Bizerte, Tunis, Nabeul, Carthage, and Marsa) and public institutions like the Court of Accounts and CRDA Medenine, who actively participated in co-creating the solutions. As a result, the program contributed to the emergence of a new generation of digital startups, with strong leadership from women, and established key partnerships with public institutions to ensure the sustainability and integration of the solutions into public services. This program laid the foundation for a sustainable digital transformation of public services in Tunisia.
