Description
The European Commission (EC), through the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP), hosted the EU–South MED Matchmaking Event in Cairo, Egypt, from 16 to 18 June 2025. This event was organised in collaboration with the Euromed Cluster Forward initiative funded by DG MENA, the Federation of Egyptian Industries, and Enterprise Europe Network (EEN). It took place in the framework of two major international exhibitions: Egypt Infrastructure & Water Expo and Big 5 Construct Egypt.
The EU – South MED Matchmaking Event brought together cluster organisations and SMEs from the European Union (EU), non-EU countries participating in the Single Market Programme/COSME Strand, and South MED countries: Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Tunisia. It provided participants an excellent chance to promote Cluster to Cluster (C2C), Cluster to Business (C2B), and Business to Business (B2B) collaborations.
📸 Photos
📄Event summary and 🗣️ presentations
Presentations delivered in the frame of the onsite matchmaking event
Day 1 - Presentations - 16 June 2025
Pitching Round 1 - EU Participants - download presentations
Pitching Round 2 - South MED Participants - download presentations
Euromed Clusters Forward - download presentation
Presentation by the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) - download presentation
Day 3 - Presentations - 18 June 2025
Master Slide Deck - download presentation
Presentation in the frame of the site visits to the Egyptian Federation of Industries
EuroMed Cluster Forward - download presentation
Sustainable construction: Industry necessity Vs ESG requirements - download presentation
Focus Areas
The EU–South MED Matchmaking Event aimed to foster collaboration between European clusters, SMEs, and South MED partners in key industries, including:
- Green Tech & Renewable Energy (focus on water and waste management)
- Smart Cities & Digital Technologies (enabling urban connectivity)
- Sustainable Construction (supporting resilient infrastructure)
- Communications - Communication Equipment & Services, Data Communications and Telecommunications Services, Digital Transformation Solutions, ICT Services
Input Paper
📝 Read the Input Paper and learn more about the cluster policy landscapes and collaboration opportunities in the European Union and South Mediterranean region.
Downloads: 🗓️ Final Agenda | Info Pack | Participants Booklet
The event offered:
A high-level seminar, matchmaking sessions, and site visits to strengthen EU–South MED cluster cooperation.
Opportunities to identify shared interests, value chain synergies, and market opportunities for SMEs and businesses.
A platform to enhance EU-South MED collaboration in research, development, and innovation (RDI), linking academia, research institutions, and industries through clusters.
Exclusive guided tour of the exhibition(s), providing insights into the most relevant exhibitors aligned with the sectors covered by this call.
Curated stand visits, enabling participants to engage directly with key exhibitors selected based on their industry focus.
Opportunity to take part in a pitching session on one of the event stages, allowing clusters and SMEs to present their expertise and potential areas of collaboration (tbc)
Access to key conference sessions, providing insights into the latest trends in sustainable construction, water management, and digital transformation.
Agenda and activities:
The EU – South MED Matchmaking Event included the following activities:
Prior to the mission:
Preparatory Webinar – an opportunity to receive information on undertaking business with South MED and guidance on how to participate successfully in the planned event. (13 May 2025)
Technical Webinar – a session helping future participants of the matchmaking event to make the most of their profiling in the B2Match tool and explain the procedures to optimise the booking of meetings. (27 May 2025)
During the mission:
Seminar on knowledge exchange to foster EU-South MED cooperation. (16 June 2025)
Pitching and Matchmaking meetings between cluster organisations and SMEs from EU (and non-EU countries participating in SMP/COSME Strand) countries and South MED. (16 June 2025).
Debriefing session to collect feedback and testimonials from cluster participants. (16 June 2025)
Participation at the Egypt Infrastructure & Water Expo and Big 5 Construct Egypt – (17-18 June 2025)
Curated stand visits & guided tour to key exhibitors, ensuring targeted networking based on the participants’ sectoral interests. (17-18 June 2025)
Pitching Session on the Expo Stage: Selected delegates had the opportunity to present their expertise, key innovations, and collaboration interests on a dedicated stage within the exhibition. (18 June 2025)
Site visits (17-18 June 2025)
Call For Expression of Interest & Deadlines
This Call for Expression of Interest was targeting cluster organisations and small and medium-sized enterprises from EU (and non-EU countries participating in the Single Market Programme (SMP)/COSME Strand) countries who wish to participate are now open.
📕Call for Expression of Interest - Clusters: deadline third cut-off date 20 May (Tuesday) 2025, 23:59 Brussels time – closed!
📕Call for Expression of Interest - SMEs: deadline third cut-off date 20 May (Tuesday) 2025, 23:59 Brussels time – closed!
EU-South Med Matchmaking Event: Technical Webinar - 27 May 2025
A Technical Webinar was held on 27 May 2025. Find the presentation for the webinar here.
EU-South Med Matchmaking Event: Info Webinar - 13 May 2025
An Info Webinar was held on 13 May 2025. Find the final agenda for the webinar here.
The presentations: from the webinar are available:
Info Webinar EU-India Matchmaking Event Master Slide deck - Download presentation
Sarra Boussaidi, Project manager, ANIMA Investment Network - Download presentation
Dr. Jan-Philipp Kramer, Head of EU Services, Prognos AG, ECCP Тeam Мember - Download presentation
Andrea IORI, Cooperation and Partnerships Department, Africa IP SME Helpdesk - Download presentation
Mamdouh Elgohary, Event Director – Big 5 Construct Egypt and Egypt Infrastructure and Water Expo - download presentation
Rania ELNADY, Head of SMEs Unit and Project Coordinator Federation of Egyptian Industries - download presentation
Looking back at past missions to the South MED region
The EU-South Med Cluster Matchmaking Event held in 2019 aimed to foster collaboration between European and South Mediterranean clusters in innovation and technology. The event provided an opportunity to network and explore potential partnerships in areas such as renewable energy, ICT, and healthcare. During three days, cluster participants attended various activities, including a cluster matchmaking event (150 meetings took place), workshops on business development, industry 4.0 and clusters in Maghreb. They visited LOGISMED 2019, a transport and logistics exhibition, MASCiR, ESITH, and CTI. Read more about 2019.
In 2021, the event continued its focus on collaboration and innovation, particularly emphasizing digital transformation and the green economy. It brought together key players from Europe and the South Mediterranean to share knowledge, ideas, and best practices and explore opportunities for cooperation. They discussed common visions and initiated discussions and co-creative processes by proposing pilot project ideas. Have a look at the 2021 agenda.
The 2023 edition of EU-South Med Cluster Matchmaking Event focused on fostering business connections, enhancing knowledge sharing and promoting innovative collaborations in the following sectors: Agri-Food, Cosmetics, Textiles, ICT, CleanTech and Energy. South-Med countries represent a diverse range of opportunities for the EU and its Member States, being our 6th largest trading partner, and 5th biggest export market (€115 billion) - with €227 billion of trade happening between the two in 2022 alone.
Clusters and their members were invited to discuss common visions and explore potential partnerships. The event provided a unique opportunity to share best practices, learn about the latest industry trends, and explore common areas of interest to strengthen economic ties and pursue trade, investment and partnering opportunities.
A total of 51 participants attended the event including 17 from Europe and 34 from South Med countries. Our delegation was composed of members from Bulgaria, Egypt, France, Hungary, Jordan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Moldova, Morocco, Palestine, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain & Tunisia and ranged from SMEs, clusters, and public institutions to business support and R&D organisations. There were also ECCP representatives from Belgium, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. Read more about 2023.
The 2024 edition of the EU-South Med Mathcmaking event was held in Europe in the frame of ACHEMA expo, Frankfurt, Germany.
Organised by the European Commission through the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP), together with ANIMA Investment Network for the Euromed Cluster Forward initiative and EEN, delegations of clusters and SMEs from the EU and South Mediterranean countries were warmly welcomed by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Frankfurt am Main (IHK) in Darmstadt, Germany, from June 11 to 13, 2024.
The spirit of the 2024 EU-South Med Matchmaking event emphasised the value of international cooperation in driving innovation and economic growth: crucial for securing the stability and effectiveness of value chains in a world facing global challenges. Read more about 2024 edition.