Across Africa, the rise of the startup economy continues to reshape local industries, attract global capital and redefine what’s possible in emerging markets. While much of the attention has centred on the continent’s four dominant ecosystems - Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa and Kenya - which lead in both deal flow and venture funding. Yet, when it comes to policy innovation, the first true legislative milestone did not emerge from these markets. Instead, it came from the Republic of Tunisia, the first African country to gazette a fully fledged Startup Act, setting a precedent that many others are now racing to follow.
Since its introduction, the Tunisia Startup Act has become one of the most cited policy frameworks in Africa. Its clarity, its ambition and its intentional design have positioned Tunisia as a model for how governments can support entrepreneurship through structured incentives rather than fragmented initiatives. In a region where startups typically contend with regulatory friction, slow bureaucracy and limited access to capital, Tunisia took a remarkably different approach — creating a legal and financial environment that actively removes barriers and reduces operational risk for early-stage companies.
Today, the Act is not only a catalyst for Tunisia’s economic transformation; it is also shaping policy conversations across Africa and influencing how governments think about innovation-led development. For investors, the Act signals a maturing ecosystem backed by institutional support. For founders, it provides a launchpad that mitigates early-stage vulnerabilities. And for policymakers, it offers a blueprint that strikes a balance between oversight and empowerment.
This guide provides a comprehensive look at the Act’s features, incentives and broader ecosystem impact — offering founders, VCs and ecosystem builders across the continent a clear understanding of why the Tunisia Startup Act matters, and what lessons can be drawn from its implementation.
What Is the Tunisia Startup Act? Key Features Explained
The Act is designed to build a fully enabling environment for founders, investors and supporting organisations. It focuses on easing operational obstacles, improving access to finance, facilitating international business and enhancing regulatory transparency. Its key pillars include:
1.How the Tunisia Startup Act Encourages Entrepreneurship
The Act introduces various initiatives to encourage entrepreneurship including startup grants, employment programmes, startup leave and patent registration.
Collectively, these programmes stimulate entrepreneurial activity and offer founders breathing room during the critical early stages of company formation.
2. Startup Funding and Tax Incentives Under the Tunisia Startup Act
To increase startup survival rates and encourage investments the Act offers
Exemption from social security
Corporate tax exemptions
Access to the Startup Guarantee Fund.
Full tax deductibility for investors contributing capital
3.Administrative Support for Founding, Scaling and Exiting
Recognising the importance of lifecycle support, the Act mandates the creation of a Startup Portal serving as a one-stop digital interface for all administrative processes and simplified procedures for the voluntary winding-up of startups.
The aim is to eliminate unnecessary red tape while supporting founders throughout the company journey — from inception to exit.
4.Internationalisation Benefits for Tunisian Startups
Under the Act, startups which achieve the label are allowed to open a special account in foreign currency which allows free movement of cash and facilitates financial transactions to international markets. In addition to that, startups have access to a 100k limit on the Card Technologique (Technology card) and receive special conditions for customs and imports.
Financial Incentives and Operational Benefits for Startups
While Tunisia is not one of Africa’s “Big Four” ecosystems, it is closing the gap through deliberate policy intervention. The following incentives under the Act are particularly relevant for founders and foreign investors evaluating Tunisia as an operational base.
1.The Startup Portal: Gateway to Tunisia’s Startup Label
The Portal is the central access point for startups applying for the Startup Label, the official certification required to access the Act’s benefits. Over time, the Portal is expected to integrate additional functionalities and automate more administrative processes, further reducing bureaucratic friction.
2.Foreign Currency Accounts and Cross-Border Flexibility
Startups have the right to open special accounts in foreign currency which can be freely fed by contributions in capital, quasi-capital, turnover and dividends in a foreign currency. Startups can invest freely and without authorisation, the assets of the account to acquire tangible or intangible assets, create subsidiaries abroad and take shareholdings in companies abroad.
This flexibility is rare in African markets and plays a critical role in enabling cross-border scale.
3.Corporate Tax Exemptions for Tunisian Startups
In Tunisia,corporate income tax varies by sector and turnover, with a general rate of 20% for most companies. Under the Act, startups are exempt from corporate tax.
4.Technology Card: Increased Limits for Digital Tools
In Tunisia, the Technology Card is a specialised prepaid international bank card that allows resident individuals and companies to make online currency payments for specific professional and educational expenses. Under the Act, the amount allowed on the Technology Card is raised to 100k TND/year.
5.Technology Card: Increased Limits for Digital Tools
An Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) is an international trade company approved by customs for meeting high standards of supply chain security and compliance. In Tunisia, this AEO status is granted by the Tunisian Customs to companies that demonstrate a balanced financial situation, tax and customs regularity, and compliance with security standards.
Under the Startup Act, startups are considered AEOs under the Customs Code.
6.Import and Technical Approval Exemptions
To speed up product development cycles, startups are exempted from CERT approval (Telecommunication Studies and Research Centre) approval and technical control procedures on import operations.
Investor Incentives Under the Tunisia Startup Act
For investors the Act outlines the following benefits.
1. Full Tax Rebates for Startup Investments
The amounts invested in startups or regulated investment entities dedicated to startups are fully deductible from the investor’s tax base. This dramatically improves the net return on early-stage investments.
2. Capital Gains Exemptions for Startup Share Sales
Profits realised from selling shares in startups are fully exempt from capital gains tax. This encourages long-term equity participation and supports healthier exit markets.
3. Flexible Valuation Rules for In-Kind Contributions
Investors contributing non-cash assets may appoint their own auditor to conduct valuation — offering flexibility and reducing disputes over assessment methods.
4. Convertible Bond Options for Startup Financing
Startups can issue multiple rounds of convertible bonds without restrictions tied to previous conversion periods. This gives founders and investors more fluid financing options and reflects maturity in Tunisia’s early-stage capital market.
This mechanism protects regulated investment organisations participating in startups and is activated during amicable liquidation. It reduces investment risk, especially for early-stage funds.
Startup Label: Eligibility Criteria and Application Steps
To access the benefits of the Act, startups must secure the Startup Label, the central gatekeeper to the ecosystem’s incentives. The application process is structured, transparent and entirely digital.
Step 1: Preparation
You need to register via the Startup Portal, fill out the application form and upload the related legal documents. The form remains accessible year-round.
Step 2: Submission
Applications are submitted monthly, from the 1st to the 8th. A non-refundable fee of TND 100 applies, and each startup may submit only one application every six months.
Step 3: Reviewing
Reviewers assess:
Concept strength
Business model
Product pitch and demonstration
Innovation
Scalability
Proof of concept is a minimum requirement. The application proceeds only if it demonstrates clear potential.
Step 4: Pre-Labelling
If the project has obtained a minimum of five (5) favourable votes it acquires pre-approval for the Startup Label.
Step 5: Labelling
Founders then have six months to formally establish the company and secure the full Startup Label, which is valid for up to eight years from the date of incorporation.
It is important to note that the Startup Label is separate from funding processes, investment funds have independent requirements.
Impact of the Tunisia Startup Act on Tunisia’s Startup Ecosystem
Since its enactment in 2018, the Tunisia Startup Act has played a fundamental role in shaping one of North Africa’s most dynamic innovation ecosystems. Tunisia nowranks 2nd in Northern Africa and 82nd in the global rankings, reflecting a stable and maturing environment for founders and investors.
The Act has issued over 1000 Startup Labels, signalling strong demand and a growing pipeline of high-potential companies. Beyond helping founders, the Act has strengthened market access, streamlined government processes and fostered deeper collaboration between public and private sector actors.
One of the initiatives of the government is the Fund of Funds, targeting €100 million to invest in more than 13 venture funds spanning seed, early-stage and later-stage financing. This provides long-term capital continuity and ensures founders can progress through the funding ladder without leaving the market.
Collectively, these developments position Tunisia as a serious player in Africa’s innovation landscape — a market that is smaller in size but sophisticated in policy design, increasingly attractive to both investors and founders seeking cross-border scale.
Conclusion: The Future of Tunisia’s Innovation Landscape
The Tunisia Startup Act has proven that well-designed policy can be a powerful catalyst for entrepreneurial growth, especially in emerging markets where structural barriers often overshadow innovation potential. By combining regulatory clarity with meaningful financial and operational incentives, Tunisia has built a framework that not only supports founders, but also gives investors the confidence that the ecosystem is underpinned by stability, vision and long-term commitment.
For VCs and growth-focused investors assessing opportunities across Africa, Tunisia now stands as a compelling case study: a smaller market that punches above its weight because its policy architecture actively accelerates, rather than hinders the startup journey.
As other African governments continue experimenting with their own Startup Acts, Tunisia remains the benchmark — demonstrating what is possible when public policy aligns with the realities of founders, the expectations of investors and the tempo of global innovation.
Lungile is the Digital Editor for Startup.Africa, with a knack for storytelling, technology and innovative ideas. Working with Startup.Africa, she takes simple ideas and turns them into amazing stories.
Lungile Msomi
Lungile Msomi
Lungile Msomi
