Seventeen Startups Raise Millions at the Cleanergy Avant-Premiere

Group Photo Cleanergy Batch 2 1200 x 628
The investors were given a one-million-dollar worth of CleanCoin investment money.

Group Photo 1200 x 628

Seventeen startups enrolled in the second batch of the Cleanergy Accelerator program participated in the ‘Avant-Premiere’ a yearly activity for the Accelerator that puts the startups under real-life investor pitch conditions and allows the teams to practice their pitches, receive feedback, and validate once more their clean technology solutions.

Berytech has created Cleanergy Program to catalyze cleantech innovations through a yearly three-phase accelerator that allows cleantech entrepreneurs to grow their startup from an idea into a scalable business.

The program, under Berytech’s ACT Smart Innovation Hub co-funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, aims at strengthening business advancement and job creation in the Agri-food and Cleantech sectors in Lebanon.

CleanCoin Investment

For this year’s event, Berytech digitalized the Avant Premier’s funding experience and created the CleanCoin platform, simulating a virtual currency for the investors to use during their tour of the startups.

Investors participating included Maroun N. Chammas, CEO and Chairman of Berytech, along with 13 other industry leaders and experts in business and clean technology. The investors were given a one-million-dollar worth of CleanCoin investment money. They visited the teams, discovered their ideas, and invested in the solutions that were most attractive to them. Startups who raised the most funds won the game.

“The 17 companies that are participating today are extremely interesting, very innovative, have brilliant ideas, and very capable teams. I am extremely impressed and encourage all of them to work hard to grow their startups and scale their businesses as the solutions they are offering are essential to solve the energy challenges we face in a sustainable manner,” said Chammas.

Chammas added “the criteria we look for before investing are: the potential to grow and scale, the commitment and seriousness of the founders, and the depth of knowledge of the team in their solution.”

Participating Startups

The 17 startups presented innovative solutions across the Energy, Solid Waste, Water, Wastewater, Agriculture, and Transportation sectors: Ardona, Azca Solar, Cloud Pads, EnviroWaste, G4WT, Green Growth Generation, Haulo, HVACION, inCharge, Innergy Solutions, Lebanon Waste Management, MOWEC, Partners with Sun, ReFuse, Semaan Company, SRV, and YY ReGen.

Ramy Boujawdeh, Deputy General Manager at Berytech, thanked the teams for the effort they made to have their solutions ready for the event: “I can see each one of you is extremely well prepared, with ready-to-explore prototypes and smart pitches. In the current context, you are doing something we all are moving for. In challenging times, Lebanon needs people like you, who will make a difference and make the country a better one. We believe in what you are doing, and we are here to support you. Each one of your innovative solutions is multi-dimensional: social, economic, and environmental dimensions with the purpose of making the world a better place.”

Next Phase

Twelve of the 17 teams will move forward to participate in the second phase of the program. Startups joining the Business Acceleration Phase will receive up to 15,000 USD in grants to build their minimum viable product (MVP) and get traction over the period of 4 months. Only eight teams will move forward to the final 5-month incubation receiving matching grants of up to $20,000 and the support to scale.

About the Cleanergy Program

Berytech is catalyzing cleantech innovations through a yearly three-phase program that allows cleantech entrepreneurs grow their startup from an idea into a scalable business. With funding and support from the Kingdom of The Netherlands, Berytech designed and developed the Cleanergy program to make sure Lebanon has the most competitive companies innovating in clean technology. Learn more about the Cleanergy Program. 

Raghid Jarrah

Raghid Jarrah

Raghid Jarrah joined Berytech in July 2021 and is currently a Communication and Outreach Coordinator. He supports the team on various ongoing projects such as ARYAF, DAWERR, REAF, SAFI, WE4F, and others.

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