The inaugural African Cleantech Congress 2024 successfully gathered over 140 participants to explore clean technology solutions and accelerate the green transition. Organized by Cleantech216 and led by Future Islands, the forum was supported by Digital Africa and attracted a diverse audience, including SMEs, startups, and public sector representatives. The event featured 10 international experts, who contributed to three workshops and three panels addressing the opportunities and challenges surrounding cleantech in Tunisia and across Africa.
Held at the Novotel Avenue Mohamed V in Tunis on April 19-20, 2024, the forum aimed to drive both green and digital transformation through dynamic workshops, insightful panel discussions, and the fostering of regional and international collaboration within the cleantech sector.
Tunisia is undergoing a transition to a green economy, requiring a deeper integration of sustainability into its digital landscape. The country’s goal to reduce carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 presents a challenge for businesses looking to stay competitive, particularly those targeting the European market with increasingly stringent sustainability regulations. Despite investing approximately 2.5 billion Tunisian dinars (around $1.2 billion) in digital transformation in 2022, there remains a significant gap in connecting SMEs to green technologies and financing solutions that support this necessary transition.
The African Cleantech Congress was designed to address these challenges by focusing on:
Fostering green innovation and digital transformation through workshops and panel discussions tailored to SMEs and startups.
Creating regional and international collaboration opportunities to accelerate the green transition.
Cultivating synergies through B2B sessions that connected businesses, startups, and cleantech ecosystem actors across Africa.
Three exclusive workshops were held to engage SMEs and startups in Tunisia on key topics related to green technologies:
- Workshop 1: Circular Economy and Supporting SMEs – Led by Ahmed El Bastawy (CEO, ICEALEX Innovation Hub, Egypt).
- Workshop 2: Innovalink Program – Open Innovation – Led by Fida Belhaj Ltaief and Amina Kechuindi (Future Islands, Tunisia).
- Workshop 3: Green Financing Alternatives – Led by Pierre Joseph Kingbo (Research and Awareness Director, Barka Fund, Côte d’Ivoire).
The event featured three insightful panels exploring critical issues in cleantech:
- Online Panel: Innovative Solutions – Leveraging Blockchain, AI, and Other Technologies for Sustainable Development – This online panel highlighted efforts to harness blockchain, AI, and other technologies to promote sustainability in Tunisia and Africa. The panelists explored the challenges and opportunities these technologies present in catalyzing sustainable change.
- Panel 1: The Current Status and Prospects of CleanTech Trends and Opportunities in Tunisia and Africa – Focused on identifying opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange within the cleantech sector.
- Panel 2: Green Financing Opportunities – Led by Pierre Joseph Kingbo (Côte d’Ivoire).
- Panel 3: Enhancing Energy Efficiency for SME Sustainability – Addressing energy efficiency and its role in promoting sustainability for SMEs across Tunisia and Africa.
Networking & Exhibition: The event concluded with an exhibition featuring cleantech startups showcasing innovative solutions and a B2B networking session aimed at fostering partnerships to accelerate the green transition.
The African Cleantech Congress 2024 was a success in promoting cleantech and sustainability.
Key outcomes included:
- Over 140 participants, including 10 international experts from Tunisia, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Kenya.
- 120+ participants from public and private sectors, SMEs, startups, and NGOs engaged in discussions on clean technologies and sustainability.
- 3 exclusive workshops tailored to equip Tunisian SMEs with the knowledge and tools needed to adopt green technologies.
- 3 expert-led panels focused on critical issues such as energy efficiency, blockchain, AI, and green financing.
- 7+ cleantech startups showcased their innovative solutions for sustainability.
By fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration, the forum contributed significantly to accelerating the green and digital transformation of SMEs in Tunisia and Africa, laying the groundwork for a more sustainable future.
