53 startups join Berytech’s IdeaLab

To operate in agriculture, food, and clean technology sectors

Berytech has kicked off the third cycle of its IdeaLab program, welcoming 53 promising startups into its innovative ecosystem, following an outreach phase. The program aims to identify and nurture the most promising startups in the Cleantech and AgriFoodTech sectors.

The outreach phase, led by Berytech in collaboration with five key partner organizations, was designed to attract entrepreneurial talent from across the country. The partners include The Asher Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ACIE), Farah Social Foundation, INJAZ Lebanon, Michel Daher Foundation (MDF), and Park Innovation. The events included info sessions, ideathons, and design sprints.

During the outreach phase, the program received 359 applications, out of which 53 startups were selected to join the program. The selection criteria focused on creativity, scalability potential, team strength, and the transformative impact of their solutions. This year’s cohort includes 21 startups in Cleantech and 32 in the AgriFoodTech sector.

The selected startups will enter the validation phase of the IdeaLab program. During this phase, they will receive training and mentorship from industry experts on entrepreneurial topics such as customer discovery, market validation, prototype development, business model validation, and pitching. The validation phase will culminate in a demo day, where startups will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a panel of investors and key stakeholders.

The IdeaLab program is a key component of the Partner Growth program, which operates under the ACT Smart Innovation Hub Initiative. Co-funded by the Netherlands, this initiative is dedicated to strengthening Lebanon’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, particularly in the agriculture, food, and clean technology sectors.