Applications for the “UNIMED 7th Start Cup Entrepreneurship Competition”, which will be held in Turin, Italy, on 23–24 November 2026, are now open!

The Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED) has announced the call for applications for the 7th Start Cup Competition – Entrepreneurship in the Mediterranean, organized within the scope of the SubNetwork on Employability.

The competition, organized for students studying at universities located in the Mediterranean Basin, aims to encourage young entrepreneurs to present their innovative business ideas on an international platform. Through the competition, university students from both shores of the Mediterranean will have the opportunity to share and develop their creative projects in the field of entrepreneurship.

The Start Cup Competition is organized in cooperation with UNIMED and Lebanese University, with contributions from the European Training Foundation (ETF), Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie – Moyen Orient (AUF), and the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari (CIHEAM Bari). The competition is coordinated by the Centre for Career, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Centre MINE) at Lebanese University.

The 7th edition of the competition will be held in Turin, Italy, on 23–24 November 2026, hosted by the European Training Foundation (ETF). The event aims to strengthen cooperation among higher education institutions in the Mediterranean region, promote experiential learning, and increase the international visibility of students’ entrepreneurship skills.

Who Can Apply?

Students applying to the competition must meet the following requirements:

• Have an innovative and existing entrepreneurial idea related to the theme “Entrepreneurship in Times of Change”,

• Apply as a team consisting of at least 2 and at most 4 students,

• If they reach the final, be able to designate a maximum of two team members to represent their team in Italy,

• Each team must designate a team manager and provide a valid e-mail address through which all communication during the competition process will be conducted,

• Each team may participate in the competition with only one project idea,

• The entrepreneurial idea must be original and compatible with the objectives of the competition,

• Teams must have established their venture (there is no requirement to have officially established a company),

• Be able to present a prototype related to the entrepreneurial idea,

• Be able to present their projects in English or French.

ATTENTION!

Student teams wishing to participate in the competition must submit their declaration of intent to the Erasmus Unit of the International Relations Coordination Office of Manisa Celal Bayar University together with their entrepreneurial ideas no later than 30 June 2026.

This date is not the deadline for students to apply directly to the competition. It is the deadline set to enable our university to officially notify UNIMED that it will participate in the competition. Our university will make the necessary institutional notification based on the applications received from students.

Teams that submit a declaration of intent and meet the eligibility requirements will be contacted subsequently. Detailed information regarding the competition application process, required documents, project presentation, and other technical details will be provided by the Erasmus Unit.

For your questions and declarations of intent, you may contact the Erasmus Unit of the International Relations Coordination Office.

The call for applications document containing detailed information about the competition, application requirements, and the process is shared below.

Students with innovative ideas in the field of entrepreneurship are encouraged to take advantage of this important international opportunity.

CONTACT: erasmus@cbu.edu.tr

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPETITION!