Lebanon – The Asher Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ACIE) at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) is pleased to launch the second batch of the IdeaLab program in North Mount Lebanon. Co-funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Berytech, the program empowers idea-stage startups in agrifoodtech and cleantech spaces.
Ten startups excelled with remarkable success in the first batch of the IdeaLab program and created innovative solutions. “The progress made by these startups and the connections formed are a source of immense pride and ongoing inspiration. Guiding these startups through training, clinics, and expert sessions, I witnessed their growth in confidence and strategy. As pioneers in this journey, we faced difficulties together and celebrated achievements.”, said Melanie Kadi, the IdeaLab Program Officer at ACIE.
Five workshops and more than seventy clinics and expert sessions implemented by trainers and mentors during the first batch of IdeaLab program culminated in a demo day event.
“The Demo Day was great, we met the mentors that gave us the sessions and all the startups we worked together with. The progress that we all made was really amazing and we really appreciate it.”, noted Dona-Teresa Al Hachache, one of the founders of Cantalk, an IdeaLab incubated startup.
During the event, eight startups showcased their products and pitched their projects in front of mentors, trainers, and partners. Founders of startups also had the chance to celebrate their progress at the end of the first batch during the Demo Day.
“The Demo Day was very special. We were stressed at the beginning but once we were in it, there was no way out. It was very exciting sharing with everyone our samples. We received pretty good feedback and we cannot wait for future opportunities and collaborations that started today”, stated Alphonse Duchet-Abou Chaar, co-founder of 3ARRRI2, an IdeaLab incubated startup.
The second batch of the IdeaLab program was launched on August 20th and extends over a period of two months, offering participating teams the opportunity to innovate solutions in either agrifoodtech or cleantech. ACIE at USEK will execute a structured series of training and provide expert clinics to help startups identify their solutions in the market, build a stronger team, and develop their prototypes. Additionally, The program provides startup founders with expert clinics, mentoring, workshops, and grants, up to $1,500 per startup.
Interested candidates can register through this link: https://berytech.jotform.com/232041323841949?utm_source=ACIE
The deadline for application is October 15, 2023 (the program will start on November 10, 2023).
ACIE-USEK is hosting online and onsite information sessions in September 2023, in different universities and regions of North Mount Lebanon. Interested participants in the information sessions can visit the following link: https://forms.gle/F4HbWkRc5jVVwvr6A.
Entrepreneurs interested in learning more about IdeaLab and ACIE-USEK and its resources, are encouraged to visit the following website: https://acie-usek.org/idealab/.
About ACIE:
Founded in 2017, the Asher Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ACIE) is an innovation support center located at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) and an active player in the Lebanese entrepreneurship ecosystem. In line with its vision, ACIE aims to create entrepreneurs who generate robust ventures. The center provides incubation, acceleration, and entrepreneurship support programs, connecting startups with a dynamic network of mentors, coaches, trainers, and other key resources. For more information about ACIE, please visit our website: https://acie-usek.org/.
About ACT Smart Innovation Hub:
IdeaLab is under Berytech’s ACT Smart Innovation Hub, an initiative co-funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. IdeaLab is enabling five Support Organizations in different Lebanese regions, for three consecutive years, to source entrepreneurs with innovative solutions in the agrifood and clean technology sectors, assist them in ideating and validating their solutions, and initiate them to apply and join the Agrytech or Clyntech Accelerators and grow their businesses: https://berytech.org/programs/actsmart/