On 7 September 2023, EdTrust took the stage at The DOT innovation hub in Tunis as one of the national finalists of POESAM 2023 — the Orange Social Entrepreneur Prize for Africa and the Middle East.
It was an important early milestone for us: a chance to put EdTrust's vision for digitizing schools in front of an expert jury, alongside some of the most promising tech-for-good projects in the country.
What is POESAM?
The Prix Orange de l'Entrepreneur Social en Afrique et au Moyen-Orient (POESAM) is one of the longest-running social-entrepreneurship competitions in the region. Now in its 13th edition, it rewards startups that use information and communication technology to deliver real social impact across the countries where Orange operates.
For its 2023 Tunisian edition, the programme drew 105 project submissions — narrowed down to a final shortlist that pitched live at The DOT.
EdTrust among the finalists
We were proud to be selected as one of the finalists representing the EdTech category. Our pitch focused on what EdTrust is built to do: bring admissions, attendance, teaching, parent communication, and school operations onto one connected, AI-powered platform — and make modern school management accessible to institutions across Tunisia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Pitching at this level, against a strong and varied field, was both a validation of the problem we're solving and a reminder of how much appetite there is for technology that genuinely helps schools.
Congratulations to the national winners
The national jury awarded the three top prizes to:
- eSteps (Nidhal Louhichi) — a remote-monitoring solution for neurodegenerative and chronic diseases — 1st prize
- Aquadeep (Mohamed Ben Ahmed) — AI-based aquaculture optimization — 2nd prize
- Comporoll (Ghalia Damak) — modular rotating composters for waste reduction — 3rd prize
Congratulations to all three teams. The national winners go on to represent Tunisia in the international final, competing alongside dozens of projects from across Orange's footprint, with access to a six-month mentorship programme and international prizes of up to €25,000 — plus a dedicated €20,000 International Prize for Women entrepreneurs.
What it meant for us
Being shortlisted among the country's standout tech-for-good ventures gave EdTrust valuable exposure, sharp feedback, and new connections in Tunisia's startup ecosystem. More than anything, it confirmed that the future of education is digital — and that schools are ready for tools built specifically for them.
This was one of the first chapters in the EdTrust story. There's a lot more to come.
Read Orange's official announcement of the POESAM 2023 Tunisian winners on Engage for Change.
