Last November 10th 2022, the first in-person discussion meeting with all SwitchMED program implementing partners was performed.

In the framework of the SwitchMED Connect event at Ecomondo international Fair at Rimini (Italy), Medwaves succeed to gather representatives from the 8 implementing countries of SwitchMED program. This event aimed to assemble all the local implementing partners, mentors and green entrepreneurship experts along with Medwaves managing staff in order to share experiences and lessons learnt from the program implementation process. Moreover, it was intended to address questions to all stakeholders or formulate proposals related to the improvement and sustainability of the program.

All the implementing partners introduced their own support national partnership represented by a large variety of stakeholders. They exposed their national green entrepreneurship ecosystems that might enable the creation and development of green and circular business models.

The open discussion came up with the flaws and strengthens of these newly created ecosystems along with other issues such as their sustainability, composition, management, governance or effectiveness. Local mentors also contributed with proposals for improvement of the methodology and tools, management of trainee’s expectation or enhance trainer’s skills.

The gathering raised awareness of all the common ground existing among the 8 implementing parties and the increasing need to create synergies and spaces of knowledge and experience’s exchange, not only between Business Support Organizations but also among mentors, trainers and other involved green entrepreneurship experts.

All partners made possible to have this fruitful experience that encourage all of us to be involved in the creation of an enabling regional ecosystem for the acceleration of a green and circular entrepreneurship in the Mediterranean region. Such ecosystem is intended to thrive within the recently created ACT network framework.