By: Nour Assili (YES 2017 – 2018, Tunisia, hosted by AFS in Seattle, WA)

Throughout the past two years, I found myself in the intersection of technology and social change. I have been experimenting, combining my skills, and collaborating to create value for my community. On January 1, when I received my acceptance to Maghreb Bridge Startup Accelerator, little did I know how much this experience would change me. The year-long startup accelerator connected me with entrepreneurs from Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria who breathed raw, unbridled passion for social change.

We took online courses in ideation, business planning, and pitching. Out of endless research and midnight calls, Assirem for Autism was born: a startup that matches autistic individuals with qualified school life assistants and reliable resources. As our newborn grew from ideation to pixel-level detail, I’ve found power in myself and others.

In August, we all flew to Morocco for the final pitch. I looked around me and found different, yet united visionaries. Together, we formed ties that bind and impact that is boundless. The accelerator helped us take our work to new heights: a legally certified startup, with established strategy and partnerships. Seeing up close the way something we create can change someone’s life showed me this was something I have to pursue. 

In September 2019, I was humbled to feature in the Womenpreneur Tour Documentary as one of the ten most inspiring women in tech in Tunisia. The tour is taking place from November to December in Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan, where they will be visiting aspiring female entrepreneurs to give more visibility to women-led enterprises. My story will be featured regionally and globally throughout their networks in form of a short documentary movie which will be released in January. How did I end up having such a precious opportunity to share my vision? I am not so sure. But I am sure meeting people who inspire you and lift you up will make you realize things you never expected.