TUNIS (TUNISIA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The new Terna Innovation Zone, the first innovation hub managed by the Italian group in Africa, was inaugurated today in Tunis, to strengthen the strategic partnership between Italy and Tunisia. The Terna Innovation Zone is a corporate social responsibility project aimed at promoting technological innovation and fostering the development of competences in the Tunisian energy sector, further consolidating the ties between the two Countries and contributing to the achievement of the Mattei Plan’s objectives for Africa.
The initiative was presented in Tunis by Giuseppina Di Foggia, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Terna, in the presence of Faycel Tarifa, Chairman and General Manager of STEG (Sociètè Tunisienne de l’E’lectricitè et du Gaz) and Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Italian Minister of Environment and Energy Security. Attending authorities included H.E. Mohamed Ali Nafti, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad of the Republic of Tunisia, Wael Chouchane, Secretary of State for Energy Transition of the Republic of Tunisia, Fabrizio Saggio, Coordinator for the implementation of the Mattei Plan and Diplomatic Advisor of the Italian Prime Minister, and Alessandro Prunas, Italian Ambassador in Tunis.
The purpose of the Terna Innovation Zone is to strengthen the innovation ecosystem and support innovative entrepreneurship, acting as a specialized training laboratory that will contribute to the Tunisiàs progress in the energy sector. Specifically, the Terna Innovation Zone in Tunis will host open innovation and acceleration programs, through which Tunisian startups will have access to resources, competences and opportunities resulting from Ternàs global partnership network, in several international innovation ecosystems, and benefit from the technical know-how provided by the Italian group. The first initiative in this sense will see the launch, in February, of a “call for startups”, followed by a scaling program dedicated to the most promising Tunisian startups, active in the energy and digital transition sectors. In line with the principles of a just energy and digital transition, the activities of the Tunisian Terna Innovation Zone will also focus on the training and development of engineers and technicians in the energy field, including by means of partnerships with local universities. The goal is to build a new generation of professionals in this field, by providing the technical skills and promoting a culture of innovation, as well as functional elements to manage electricity infrastructures, while adopting innovative technologies to enhance the efficiency of the Tunisian energy system.
“With the Terna Innovation Zone in Tunisia, we confirm our commitment to a just and inclusive energy transition, enhancing outstanding local enterprises, contributing to the growth of the Tunisian innovation ecosystem, and creating new opportunities for startups, professionals and young talents in the energy sector”, said Giuseppina Di Foggia, Ternàs CEO and General Manager. “This project embodies the values of corporate social responsibility, by combining innovation, training, knowledge sharing and international cooperation, to build a sustainable energy future, together with our Tunisian partners. The Terna Innovation Zone will be much more than a physical place, shared with the Italian Cultural Institute in Tunis and the Tunisian-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, it will become a symbol of our commitment to enhance talent and fuel technological progress”, concluded Giuseppina Di Foggia. Being in an emerging ecosystem, with strong opportunities for growth, the Terna Innovation Zone in Tunisia represents a reference point for energy innovation and sustainability in North Africa. The initiative is linked to Elmed, major infrastructure project, and the first direct current electrical interconnection between Europe and Africa, involving the construction of approximately 200 km of submarine cable between Italy and Tunisia. The infrastructure will be realized by Terna and STEG and will ensure greater integration between energy from renewable sources, and provide an energy bridge between the two continents, with many benefits in terms of safety, diversification of the energy supply, and sustainability, in line with the European decarbonization objectives.
The initiative launched today represents not only a technological boost but also a concrete project of international cooperation and social-economic development, sealed by the extension of the industrial Cooperation Agreement between Terna and STEG – the Tunisian national electricity grid and gas operator. Based on the Agreement, the two companies will carry out a series of knowledge-sharing activities focused on common interests, with the aim of pursuing excellence in the management of the electricity transmission grids, and to meet the challenges of the energy sector. In this way, Terna and STEG wish to consolidate the role of Italy and Tunisia as protagonists of the energy transition in the Mediterranean – an energy and innovation hub – by strengthening the integration between Europe and Africa, and promoting new synergies between Italian and Tunisian companies, in line with the strategy outlined by the Mattei Plan.
This is Ternàs second global Innovation Zone, following the innovation outpost located in San Francisco. The US-based Innovation Zone is dedicated to scouting technological solutions, supporting the growth of Italian startups in the Silicon Valley, the cradle of technology. It also deals with generating leads and strategic partnerships with all stakeholders, such as companies, large investment funds, universities and research centres, active in the most important innovation ecosystem worldwide.
(ITALPRESS).
-Photo: Terna press office-
