Tunis, Tunisia September 17, 2026
What does it take for a Tunisian startup to go from a promising idea to a UK headquarters? That question sat at the heart of a full day organized by the British Embassy in Tunisia.
The main purpose of the event was bringing a high-level UK delegation to Tunis as part of a wider North Africa programme.
Following the success of London Tech Week 2026, the day combined a hands-on bootcamp with an evening of high-level networking, giving Tunisian founders both the tools and the connections to think seriously about international growth.
The GEP Bootcamp:
The day opened with the Startup Bootcamp Session, gathering ambitious Tunisian startups, scale-ups and ecosystem leaders around a single theme: how to expand into the UK market. Sessions walked participants through market-entry strategies, venture funding opportunities, and the support available through the UK’s Global Entrepreneur Programme (GEP).
The GEP itself is the UK government’s flagship, highly selective programme for international scale-ups looking to establish a UK headquarters or R&D presence. Rather than leaving founders to navigate a new market alone, it pairs dealmaker-led strategic mentorship with dedicated support from the GEP team, guiding entrepreneurs through onboarding, visa processes, and UK market integration.
For the founders in the room, this meant something more concrete than general advice. It meant expert insight, tailored opportunities, and practical support built specifically for entrepreneurs looking to use the UK as a launchpad for global expansion.
From Insight to Connection:
If the bootcamp was about strategy, the evening was about relationships. At the British Embassy Reception, entrepreneurs, investors, ecosystem leaders and diplomatic representatives came together to celebrate bilateral innovation between Tunisia and the UK.
The shift in setting mattered. Conversations that started as case studies during the day continued informally over the evening, giving founders a chance to turn what they had just learned into real introductions with the people positioned to help them act on it.
Taken together, the bootcamp and the reception captured what the British Embassy set out to build: a bridge between Tunisian ambition and UK opportunity.
Founders left not just with a clearer picture of what scaling into the UK requires, but with the beginnings of the relationships that make it possible.
For more updates and photos, follow the Tunisian British Chamber of Commerce on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
