Berytech announced that applications are now open for the Agrytech Hackathon 2019. This third edition is taking place at the Berytech Innovation Park in Mar Roukoz on the 23-24-25 August 2019, with field trips scheduled on August 22, and a closing ceremony for the 2-year program on August 28. Applications are open online till August 9, 2019.
The Agrytech Hackathon is organized by Berytech in partnership with Source Institute– international developers of entrepreneurship programs, and with the full and unwavering support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Lebanon.
The hackathon is an exciting opportunity to develop prototypes and agri-food solutions using technologies such as Internet of Things, Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence.
4-Day Event
This year, the Agrytech Hackathon will be an engaging 4-day event, bringing together makers, innovators, entrepreneurs and young professionals from various backgrounds.
During these four days, participants will discover real challenges facing the agri-food sector with on-sight field visits, acquire information to transform their idea into a valid business solution through intensive workshops, prototype a solution within 30 hours that solves an agri-food challenge, and then pitch it to a panel of judges to have the chance to win cash prizes as well as incubation support from Berytech.
Throughout the hackathon, participants will receive the assistance of technical, industry and business experts, as well as the support of Source Institute with their international experts. They will have access to the tools and hardware prototyping facility of the Berytech Fab Lab.
“We are hoping the teams will use technology to tackle challenges in farming, post-harvest, manufacturing and processing, and marketplace,” explains Ramy Boujawdeh, Berytech Deputy GM and Agrytech Program Director.
Farming: in this category, we are looking at solutions to solve challenges from the supply of products and materials to farming practices including harvesting.
Postharvest: in this category, we are looking at solutions to solve challenges from the time the products are harvested/collected till they reach processors or consumers.
Manufacturing – processing: in this category, we are looking at solutions to solve challenges from the time the products reach processors through different transformation activities including packaging and distribution.
Market place: in this category, we are looking at solutions to solve challenges online or offline in marketing, distribution and exports of products and services.
How it works
Applicants can be either in teams or participate as individuals. Those encouraged to apply are developers, coders, makers, data scientists, creatives, innovators, entrepreneurs and young professionals. They can apply with their own idea or can hack one of the preset challenges. The event is open for Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians residing in Lebanon.
On Thursday, participants will be allocated a field trip destination based on the 4 challenge areas that their solution falls under.
On Friday, they will receive a full day of intensive workshops to help shape their idea or solution, understand the needs of their customers and develop their business model.
On Saturday and up until Sunday afternoon, they will be given the time and support to work on their solution and develop their hardware or software prototype.
Finally, on Sunday afternoon, they get to pitch their idea to a jury who will then announce the top 3 winners. The prizes are $5000, $2500 and $1,000 respectively as well as incubation support from Berytech.
“As our CEO put it so well last year, and in our third edition today, we are proud to say that by organizing these events under the Agrytech Program, we are proving that Lebanon can play a role in solving world challenges in the agri-food sectors,” concludes Boujawdeh.
Last year, 12 teams from the Hackathon were admitted to the Agrytech Accelerator Batch 2 of which 5 startups have made it to the final incubation phase of the program and have received close to $40,000 in funding.
Learn more and apply for the Agrytech Hackathon here.
