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incubees

Social Innovators
We aspire to strengthen the capacities of social innovators and help them become catalysts for change. We focus on projects in the ideation phase that innovatively address a problem. We strongly believe that innovation is not limited to the use of new technology. For us, a project can be innovative for its original approach to problem-solving, or for its unique business model, regardless of the role played by technology.
Content Creators
Our vision goes beyond just measuring impact in purely economic terms. We believe in the power of creative expression in transforming society. We know that actors in the creative industries need support in developing and sustaining their projects in order to reach their full potential. We also firmly believe that magic can happen when you cross-pollinate projects from different backgrounds, and that this is the kind of environment you need to make innovation happen.
Civil Society
Afkar aims to be a catalyzer for social change. As such, we seek out actors who not only have potential for impact, but who also share our values. That is why supporting innovators in civil society is a key pillar of our approach to incubation. We aim to support these actors to make their efforts more sustainable, through the development of income-generating activities, and sustainable fundraising plans.

Program

Our vision of Incubation
We consider the incubation as a privilege that allows you to take the time to think about your project from an articulated approach with the proper resources. It is an accompanying program that provides multiple means in order to test hypotheses and bring the action plan to real life. Our incubation program’s objective is to prepare the entrepreneurs for launching their projects on solid grounds. At the end of the program, the project leaders would at least developed their proof of concept while some would have developed their prototypes and others would have even managed to acquire their first customers. The projects will eventually be ready to take part in an acceleration program adapted to their needs.
Content
Being a part of our Afkar Incubator journey requires taking time to think about one’s project from a structured approach while being accompanied by professionals. During these six months, you will be immersed in an atmosphere of collaborative intelligence, constructive friendly environment, and a variety of experiences.
You will mainly work on:
– Formulating your value proposition
– Experimenting, testing, and validating your hypotheses
– Constructing your Business Plan
– Developing a Proof of Concept and a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
– Developing your branding and increasing your notoriety
Our Approach
Afkar Incubator is a free six-month program that is based in Tunis where the involvement of the incubated entrepreneurs varies upon the phases. It is essential to show up to Afkar Incubator’s workstation in the first and last weeks of the program. The project leader must be able to devote around twenty hours per week to our program activities.
Thanks for your interest in the Afkar Incubator! The application for candidates is now closed, but we invite you to check in again for our second session of the incubator!

TEAM

Houssem Aoudi

Founder & CEO

Houssem, founder and CEO of the companies Wasabi and Afkar, is an experienced manager of media, social, and cultural projects, particularly those dedicated to promoting the free exchange of ideas. Houssem is also co-founder of Cogite Coworking Space, the first coworking space in Tunisia, a Stanford University fellow, and curator of TEDxCarthage, the biggest TEDx event in Tunisia.
Adel Beznine

COACH IN RESIDENCE

Adel is resident coach at Afkar. He is a sociologist and worked in various Tunisian and international private companies before creating  “CREDO”, a consultancy firm, “BOOST”, the first equity-based accelerator in the Maghreb region, and “DOORA”, a bike sharing operator. Adel is also a coach and mentor in several entrepreneurial and employability initiatives, an entrepreneurship teacher, a consultant for the world bank and co-founder of “Tunisian Startups.”
Maguelone Montariol

project assistant

Maguelone, intern at Afkar, is currently a business and administration undergraduate student at ESSEC Business School. Maguelone is the co-founder and member of several associations and clubs such the AtlasESSEC that promote trekking and ecotourism. She also completed an internship as a junior assistant at the department of public relations at AHK TUNISIE.
Kevin Coyne

co-founder

Kevin, COO of Wasabi, specializes in non-profit project implementation and evaluation. Kevin has a degree in international affairs from the George Washington University in Washington D.C. and has been based in Tunisia since 2013.
Nesrine Aouinti

Project Manager

Nesrine Aouinti is a Project Manager at Wasabi. She previously worked at Al Bawsala as a project assistant specializing in access to information, and as a consultant for I Watch and other NGOs. Nesrine is also a mentor with Mercy Corps in their MicroMentor Program. Nesrine has a bachelor’s degree in French language, literature and, civilization from the University of Humanities at Tunis.
Shadi Jebril

project assistant

Shadi, Project Assistant Intern at Afkar, is currently a master’s student at Grenoble School of Management. Shadi has several internship experiences as a client service manager at CEPAC, as sector manager at Smartbox Group, and as a commercial consultant at Citroen & DS Automobiles.
Walid Hached

COO

Before joining Afkar, Walid was serving for more than two years as COO of Cogite Coworking Space, the first and the biggest coworking space in Tunisia. He has a background in finance, which he developed both in Tunisia and abroad working at institutions such as the National Bank of Canada and Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec. He co-founded Linxae, an IT startup specialising in point of sales solutions.
Amani Khadharoui

Project Manager

Amani is a Project Manager at Wasabi who specializes in non-profit project management and event planning. She received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a diploma in Media Communication from the American University of Beirut (AUB). She is also a MEPI-Tomorrow’s Leader program alumna, and a graduate from the International Institute of Bentley University. While studying in Lebanon, Amani has worked extensively on the Syrian refugees crisis in Lebanon.
Jihene Glenza

project assistant

Jihene is an intern at Afkar and an ACST leadership scholarship alumna. She has an International Baccalaureate diploma from the American Cooperative School of Tunis. She also works as a translator and a student affairs manager at UWC Tunisia.
Ons Hamza

Financial manager

Ons Hamza is Financial Manager at Afkar where her experience with process management and financial planning are brought together to assure a long-term sustainable growth strategy for the project. Ons has received her bachelor degree in Business Administration from Tunis Business School in June 2018 with honors. She has also worked as a financial planning and Quality Specialist at Cogite coworking space, the first coworking space in Tunisia.
Soufiene Chahbani

PROGRAM ASSISTANT

Soufiene, Assistant Project Manager at Wasabi and Program Assistant at Afkar, is also a Microsoft Technology Associate, team member of TEDxCarthage and the organizer of  TEDxDjerba. Soufiene received his Bachelor of Computer Science from FST Manar, and he is currently preparing his thesis to receive a master’s degree in Computer Research.

PARTNERSHIP

This project was made possible thanks to the support of the drosos foundation.

 

drosos

Our story

Launched in 2015, Afkar is an initiative dedicated to catalyzing individuals with great ideas for social change. Since that time, we have tested out different formats adapted to the needs of change makers at all levels of society.

 

Some may know Afkar for it’s high-level conclaves for diverse groups of decision makers. These day-long round table discussions bring together leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector to tackle a specific problem that can only be solved through high level collaboration. Others may know Afkar for its Fellows program dedicated to supporting innovative leaders in creativity and freedom of expression. These cohorts of 15 leaders from across North Africa take part in a unique year of retreats, capacity development, and individualized support. And others still have know Afkar for its video series and talks program that puts the spotlight on a specific agent of change and lets the public hear what they have to say.

 

Afkar Incubator is the latest in this family of programs aimed to support new leaders of social change. This time, our targets are the entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial-minded who will be leading the change of tomorrow.

Our playlist

Relaxation and discovery … our monthly playlists punctuate your day!

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