On October 30th, 2024, the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association (EMEA) and the Creative Business Network (CBN) co-hosted the Mediterranean Creative Forum at MedaWeek Barcelona 2024. MedaWeek is jointly organized annually by ASCAME and the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation, with the collaboration of Generalitat de Catalunya and prominent Euro-Mediterranean organizations.
The session centered on the concept of the Innovation Incubator, a proposed cross-sector platform designed to empower creative industries across the Mediterranean region.
Moderated by Maria Ruiz de Cossío, EMEA’s Senior Project Manager and Coordinator of the CREACT4MED project, and Camila Cela, Deputy Director at CBN, the session aimed to bring creative entrepreneurs, researchers, and industry experts together to ideate and discuss the incubator’s goals. Furthermore, EMEA Senior Researcher Dr. Yeganeh Forouheshfar was one of the speakers of the session.
The session opened with an overview of CREACT4MED’s goals and outcomes, followed by insights from a workshop organized on October 17th where creative industry entrepreneurs and experts explored potential services and collaborative models for the incubator. These discussions helped outline a pilot model designed to stimulate innovation, regional cooperation and economic growth.
This introduction was followed by a panel discussion featuring entrepreneurs and experts from across the Mediterranean, who addressed critical topics such as:
- Priorities and strategies for developing the incubator’s cluster
- Identifying essential digital tools for the incubator’s evolution
- Fostering regional collaboration and ensuring inclusivity
- Common pitfalls to avoid for sustainable growth
- Raising awareness of the cultural industries’ vital role in the Mediterranean
The panel included:
- Afif Barhoumi – Investment Promotion Expert, UNIDO
- Bilal Zahalan – Co-Founder & CEO, Tourific
- Krystel Khalil – Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship Programs, Berytech
- Andre Abi Awad – Founder & CEO, Entreprenergy
- Khalid Alazem – CEO, TechSolutions
- Abo Obaida Alazem – COO, Duma Toys
- Yeganeh Forouheshfar – Senior Researcher, EMEA
- Wafae Zaoui – General Director, CRÉ Artisanat
EMEA would like to thank all panelists for their participation and valuable insights in the session.
