In a report published by Startup Genome, a world-leading policy advisory and research organization for public and private organizations, Berytech and its Agrytech Program were named among the top Agtech players in the MENA region.
Improving Agricultural Efficiency and Sustainability
The Global Startup Ecosystem Report in its Agtech & New Food Edition starts by emphasizing the urgency of tackling food security focusing on services and technologies that help improve the efficiency and efficacy of agri-food systems:
“A rapidly growing global population, global disparity in access to food, soil degradation, and many other factors have driven innovation in agriculture and food technology for decades, but the COVID-19 pandemic, spiraling fertilizer costs, supply chain disruption, and recent geopolitical events have brought new urgency and mainstream attention to the issue of food security. Combined with increasing awareness of the effects of climate change, we are more aware than ever of the fragility of our food supply chains and need for change in patterns of consumption.
But where there is need, there is opportunity. Entrepreneurs across the globe are stepping up to meet the challenge of feeding the world and improving the sustainability of our agricultural systems. Whether through editing crop genes, rethinking logistics, or producing plant-based foods, startups are drivers of real change in the sector. More broadly, technology is allowing knowledge to be shared across ecosystems and throughout sectors to further accelerate a move towards a more responsible and resilient future.
For the purposes of this report, Agtech & New Food includes services and technologies with a focus on improving agricultural efficiency and sustainability, including field sensors, drones, farm-management software, robotics, vertical farming, and more. Apps and services that provide access to food, including direct-to-consumer food delivery platforms, meal kit and grocery delivery services, and ghost kitchens are also included, as are products and services that innovate food processing and improve food ingredients. The definition also includes next- generation food and drinks, including cultivated meat, plant-based meat and milks, insect-based products, fermented foods, and meal replacements. Waste management and packaging of food products are also included.”
Agrytech Accelerator Program
The report continues to mention the top Accelerators & Incubators by Region naming Berytech and Agrytech in the MENA Region.
Berytech designed and developed the Agrytech program to make sure Lebanon has the most competitive companies that are sourcing, solving, growing and transforming food, as well as feeding the world from Lebanon. The Agrytech Accelerator Program is under the ACT Smart Innovation Hub, a new out-of-the-box approach by Berytech, co-funded by the Kingdom of The Netherlands, that aims at strengthening business advancement and job creation in the Agri-food and Cleantech sectors in Lebanon. Berytech supports innovations across these sectors by offering startups the resources, knowledge, support, and funding worth around $100K, necessary to scale their ideas and grow them to penetrate international markets.
Read the full original report here.