From engineering machines that extract water from desert air to developing precision farming tools for smallholder farmers, Tunisia’s nascent cleantech startup ecosystem is drawing interest from investors and European backers. As climate shocks intensify across North Africa, a new generation of Tunisian entrepreneurs and policymakers are betting that green innovation can power the country’s next economic chapter.

At the heart of this transition is Kumulus Water, a startup that captures atmospheric moisture to generate clean drinking water. Founded in 2021 by Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid, the company has developed a machine called the Amphore that now provides over 3,000 litres of water daily to some 2,000 people. The machines are currently deployed in schools, hospitals, and rural communities across the region.

Triki, an engineering graduate who previously worked in private equity, was inspired by a trip to the Tunisian desert. “During that trip, I saw humidity even in deep desert conditions,” he recalls. “That’s when I realised you can actually create water from the air.” What began as a concept rooted in curiosity has since become a business with global ambitions. The startup has raised about $3 million to date, and Triki now envisions Kumulus becoming “the water utility of the future.”

The problem they are tackling is vast. According to the 2024 UN World Water Development Report, nearly half the world’s population experiences water scarcity at least one part of the year. The World Bank estimates that achieving universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation will require $114 billion annually through 2030. Triki sees his company as one part of the solution: “This is not just a social issue. It’s a human one.”

Kumulus is not alone. Another similar startup is Seabex, an agri-tech company co-founded in 2020 by Amira Cheniour and Taher Mestiri. Seabex helps farmers increase crop yields through intelligent precision farming. Though the financial details remain undisclosed, the startup recently secured backing from Digital Africa’s Fuzé programme, which supports early-stage francophone African startups. Seabex’s model is well-aligned with Tunisia’s water-scarce agriculture sector, which is under mounting pressure to adopt resource-efficient technologies.

A Coordinated Push for Green Entrepreneurship

These startups are emerging within a broader ecosystem push. On April 30, 2025, Tunisia formally launched its Greentech Tunisia Initiative, a multi-institutional programme designed to accelerate ecological innovation. Funded by the European Union as part of its “Green & Sustainable Tunisia” strategy and implemented by Expertise France, the programme aims to support startups working on renewable energy, sustainable mobility, eco-construction, water management, and recycling.

It includes two tailored financing vehicles:

• VAIR (Venture Acceleration for Impact and Resilience), which offers hybrid financing (70% grant, 30% repayable advance) for startups developing proof-of-concept models.
• MAIR (Market Access for Impact and Resilience), a repayable advance designed to help startups move from minimum viable product (MVP) to market.

According to Ms. Nejia Gharbi, Director General of the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (CDC), the goal is to structure “a financing framework adapted to the needs of Greentech startups, a true lever for sustainable and resilient development.”

Backers of the initiative include Smart Capital (the agency behind Tunisia’s startup act), the Ministries of Environment, Economy and Planning, and the International Centre for Environmental Technologies of Tunis (CITET). “This initiative represents a new step in the collective commitment to a greener, more inclusive, and more innovative economy in Tunisia,” said Stephan Orivel, Country Director for Tunisia and Libya at Expertise France.

The programme has set a goal of financing 32 startups in the ideation phase, but backers hope it will catalyse wider investor participation. Roxana Toran, Cooperation Attaché at the EU Delegation to Tunisia, described the effort as “a dual commitment: supporting Tunisia’s green transition while promoting sustainable, inclusive, and innovation-driven economic growth.”

While Tunisia is still far from being a full-fledged greentech hub, signs are emerging that it could become a leading player in North Africa. The combination of technical talent, diaspora engagement, and early-stage funding from both local and international actors offers a foundation for growth.

However, challenges remain. Green startups in the region often face hurdles accessing follow-on capital, especially at later stages. Regulatory frameworks are still evolving, and bureaucratic hurdles can delay deployment of technology or scaling to new markets. As Lamia Sendid of the Ministry of Economy and Planning acknowledged during the initiative’s launch: “Despite strong enthusiasm, [the green sector] still suffers from a lack of funding.”

Nevertheless, momentum is building. For Kumulus and Seabex — and potentially dozens more in the pipeline — the next few years will be a test of whether Tunisia can not only incubate cleantech ideas but also scale them to solve pressing challenges across the continent.

As Mr. Triki puts it, “The future will be written by those who solve real problems. And climate is the biggest one we all share.”