Open Startup Tunisia (OST): the programme that brings Tunisian start-ups to light

Among the programmes that shaped LOXBOX's journey, Open Startup Tunisia holds a special place: it is where we won first prize, in 2022. Here is what OST is, how it works and why we recommend it to founders.

What is Open Startup?

Open Startup is an entrepreneurship platform founded in Tunis in 2016. Originally launched as a student competition, it has grown into a pan-African player that supports entrepreneurs and drives innovation across the continent.

Figures published by Open Startup.

Support in stages

The programme follows the key stages in the life of a start-up:

• Ideation, to turn an intuition into a solid project;
• From prototype to minimum viable product, to test the solution with its first users;
• Acceleration, for software start-ups as well as deep-tech ventures.

Since 2026, the offer has been organised into two tracks, the "Pre-Seed Track" and the "Seed Track". A new initiative, The Science Road, targets ventures that come out of research and emerging technologies.

LOXBOX, 1st prize winner in 2022

In 2022, LOXBOX won first prize in the Open Startup programme. It was an important recognition for a team that had just decided to focus on software, and it confirmed the value of a platform designed by field people for delivery companies.

For us, a programme like this is worth as much for what surrounds the prize as for the prize itself: a demanding outside view of the business model, exchanges with other entrepreneurs and valuable visibility within the ecosystem.

Our advice for applicants

• Start from a concrete problem observed in the field rather than a technology looking for a use.
• Show early usage, even modest: a few real customers are worth more than a long business plan.
• Make the most of the exchanges with mentors and other teams: that is often where the real value lies.

To discover the current calls for applications, visit the Open Startup website. And to read the rest of our story, see how LOXBOX went from delivery to software.