With generous support from the Drosos Foundation, LIFE is enabling local enterprises to address Lebanon’s growing environmental and agricultural challenges through the Diaspora for Lebanon initiative.
Beirut, Lebanon – 7 August 2025: As part of its Promote Pillar and the Diaspora for Lebanon initiative, LIFE, a global network of Lebanese professionals in the diaspora, held its first MSME Demo Day at the Beirut Digital District. The event showcased nine promising Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) working in Lebanon’s agriculture and green sectors. These local businesses are tackling urgent national challenges, including soil degradation, waste management, energy access, and food security through innovative solutions that generate positive environmental and social impact. The event gave each enterprise a platform to present its solution to investors, strategic partners, and advisors, with the goal of accelerating their growth, expanding market access, and deepening their environmental and community impact.
Diaspora for Lebanon is a three-year programme launched in 2023 with substantial financial support from the Drosos Foundation, a Swiss independent organization that helps young people build skills, gain economic independence, and shape futures that are more equitable and sustainable. The initiative supports Lebanon’s education sector and green economy by empowering up to 10 MSMEs and more than 20 students each year through financial support, coaching, internships, and access to global networks. “At Drosos Foundation, we believe that socially driven entrepreneurship can improve livelihoods and even be a force of systemic change, especially when it is led locally, by young people themselves. Supporting LIFE’s Diaspora for Lebanon initiative fits well with our mission to advance equitable opportunities for and with young people in the region.” — Giulia Pianigiani, Programme Manager Lebanon, Drosos Foundation.
To date, the programme has provided the nine MSMEs with over 250 hours of one-on-one coaching, thirteen tailored workshops, more than $35,000 in grants to support their growth, and access to mentorship from LIFE members. Diaspora for Lebanon has also supported more than 55 students through scholarships, mentorship, and access to jobs and internships. “The Diaspora for Lebanon project stands out for its comprehensiveness and timing. Over the course of two years, each MSME receives tailored technical support, access to the LIFE network, and financial support through grants, helping them strengthen their environmental and social impact and scale beyond Lebanon.” — Tana Haidar, Project Manager of the Diaspora for Lebanon initiative, LIFE Lebanon
The featured enterprises were: IoTree, YY ReGen, Garbaliser, Dooda Solutions, SmartLand SAL, REMER, ECO-ganic, Sustain Ability (known as Green Mount Recycling), and ULEAP. Their work addresses a range of challenges, including AI-powered farming, modular solar energy, organic fertilisers, smart irrigation, circular waste systems, soil regeneration, native seed preservation, and renewable energy training. “Participating in the Diaspora for Lebanon program has been a turning point for SmartLand. The support we received helped us refine our business model, validate our solution, and strengthen our growth strategy. The Demo Day offered invaluable exposure and connected us with key stakeholders who believe in tech-driven sustainability in Lebanon. This initiative undoubtedly accelerated our path forward.” — Khaled Alabbass, Co-founder, SmartLand SAL
Lebanon’s agriculture sector is facing increasing strain, with worsening droughts, declining soil quality, and mounting pressure on irrigation and food systems. Supporting entrepreneurs who are building sustainable, local solutions is essential to strengthening the country’s economy and protecting public health.
This MSME Demo Day marks a milestone in LIFE’s mission to support entrepreneurship, education, and job creation in Lebanon. By activating its global network of Lebanese professionals, across the diaspora and at home, LIFE continues to connect talent, resources, and opportunity to serve the broader Lebanese community and help local solutions reach global scale.
About LIFE
LIFE is a global membership organization that unites more than 1600 Lebanese professionals in the finance, consulting, law, and technology sectors worldwide. Founded in 2009 to bring together diaspora professionals dedicated to empowering the Lebanese community, the network maintains unwavering standards of governance, adhering to a non-partisan, non-sectarian, and independent approach to integrity.
With a diverse presence across 20 chapters worldwide, LIFE operates as an expansive network offering support to Lebanese professionals globally, extending from America to Asia. Leveraging the unity and collective action of its members, LIFE seeks to uplift and empower the Lebanese community on a global scale, while also advocating for economic and social reform within the country.
About DROSOS FOUNDATION
Drosos Foundation is an independent, Swiss not-for-profit foundation. It supports young people in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa to realise their potential and shape positive futures. Drosos Foundation works with partners in those regions to foster skills development, entrepreneurship, and the social and economic inclusion of young people and their communities.