The EU-funded INVESTMED project is offering grants to support small businesses in the Southern Mediterranean. 

The project aims to support Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) to improve their competitiveness, sustainability, capacity to innovate, and ability to internationalise, in order to foster sustainable growth and economic development in the region. Special emphasis is given to organisations with young people and/or women in managerial positions. 

Applications are now open for start-ups and MSMEs based in Egypt, Lebanon and Tunisia, which operate in the following sectors:

• Green economy – in which the economic activities, infrastructures and assets of the sector enable the reduction of carbon emissions and pollution, improve energy and resource efficiency, and avoid the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Blue economy – related to oceans, seas, lakes, rivers and coasts to promote economic growth, social inclusion and the preservation or improvement of livelihoods, while avoiding environmental and ecosystem degradation. 
• Creative and cultural industries – enterprises engaged in the production or reproduction, promotion, distribution or marketing of goods, services and activities with content derived from cultural, artistic or heritage origins.

Sub-grants of up to €10,000 per beneficiary (or up to €20,000 per cultural and creative project) will be awarded to help businesses develop and implement new strategies, products, services, or internationalization plans. 

Sub-grants will take the form of a reimbursement of costs.