Berytech hosted the closing ceremony of the European Union-funded Lebanon Innovate program on Monday, June 29, 2026, during an official dinner held at The Villa Venue in Dbayeh. The event brought together ministers, diplomats, representatives of Lebanese universities, program partners, lawyers, members of the innovation communities, business support organizations, and key stakeholders from Lebanon’s entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.
Implemented by Berytech in partnership with IRALEB, IRI, EBN, LEITAT, and ANIMA, Lebanon Innovate concludes a 46-month journey dedicated to strengthening Lebanon’s innovation ecosystem and fostering collaboration among universities, research centers, industry, the public sector, and business support organizations.
Throughout its implementation, the program created new opportunities for cooperation and knowledge exchange, helping transform research and scientific expertise into practical solutions and scalable opportunities that respond to market needs and contribute to a knowledge-based economy.
Mr. Nicolas Farhat: Innovation Is Measured by the Partnerships It Builds
During the ceremony, Berytech Deputy General Manager Nicolas Farhat emphasized that Lebanon Innovate was far more than a 46-month initiative backed by nearly €3 million in European Union funding. Rather, he described it as a collaborative journey that brought together six partners, three from Lebanon and three from Europe, to connect the various components of the innovation ecosystem and create an enabling environment for growth.
Mr. Farhat noted that Berytech’s leadership of the program aligns with the vision established by Saint Joseph University of Beirut when it founded Berytech in 2002, a vision centered on connecting ecosystem actors and strengthening collaboration among them.
He explained that the program’s first phase focused on mapping Lebanon’s innovation ecosystem, identifying 13 universities, six research centers, five business support organizations, and 77 industrial institutions. This exercise provided a deeper understanding of the country’s assets, capabilities, and opportunities for building a more integrated and effective innovation ecosystem.
According to Mr.Farhat, the program’s greatest achievement lies in its ability to turn this assessment into action by strengthening collaboration between academia, research institutions, and the private sector, and by supporting the transition from research to market opportunities.
“The true value of Lebanon Innovate is not measured solely by the activities it delivered,” he said. “It is measured by the networks it created, the capacities it strengthened, and the new spaces it opened for researchers, entrepreneurs, and institutions to collaborate.”
Mr. Farhat stressed that the end of the program does not mark the end of its mission. Instead, it represents a call to build on the progress achieved and continue investing in knowledge, research, and innovation as pillars of Lebanon’s future economy. He also highlighted that the partnerships established between Lebanese and European stakeholders provide a strong foundation for a new phase of collaboration capable of supporting a more mature and sustainable innovation ecosystem.
EU Ambassador: We Remain Committed to Supporting Lebanon’s Innovation Ecosystem
For her part, H.E. Sandra De Waele, Ambassador of the European Union to Lebanon, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting innovation and strengthening cooperation between Lebanon and Europe.
She noted that Lebanon Innovate reflects the importance of investing in Lebanese talent, particularly within universities, research institutions, entrepreneurship communities, and innovation support organizations. Building a strong innovation ecosystem, she said, requires a shared vision and continuous collaboration between the public sector, private sector, and academia.
H.E. Sandra De Waele emphasized that the European Union’s support for the program is part of a broader commitment to helping Lebanon develop its capabilities and empower young people, researchers, and innovators.
She also highlighted that cooperation between Lebanon and Europe creates opportunities for knowledge exchange and enables Lebanese initiatives to connect with wider networks, helping transform ideas into practical solutions.
“Innovation is not limited to technology,” she noted. “It is also about finding practical solutions to economic and social challenges and creating bridges between knowledge and the market, between research and society’s needs.”
The Ambassador concluded by underlining that the impact of Lebanon Innovate can serve as a starting point for a new phase centered on stronger partnerships, institutional support, and enabling innovators to access the resources and networks they need. She reiterated the importance of continuing to support Lebanon’s innovation ecosystem as a driver of opportunity, resilience, and deeper integration with Europe and the Mediterranean region.
H.E. Eng. Joe Issa-El-Khoury: Scientific Research Is a Pillar of Industrial and Economic Development
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Industry Eng. Joe Issa-El-Khoury said that Lebanon is experiencing profound geopolitical and technological transformations that require stronger support for scientific research.
He stressed that research is no longer an academic luxury or a purely theoretical activity, but an essential requirement for industrial modernization, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
The minister noted that Lebanon’s technology industry remains highly competitive thanks to the flexibility, intelligence, and creativity of its workforce, which constitutes one of the country’s greatest strengths.
“Innovation, quality, and reputation are our main marketing tools,” he said. “Together with industrialists, we are striving to move scientific research from studies to production lines, turning knowledge into products, ideas into industries, and innovation into economic value and employment opportunities.”
H.E. Issa-El-Khoury emphasized the need to build sustainable institutional bridges between universities and industry and called for the launch of a National Knowledge Charter. He proposed the creation of a national innovation authority, tax incentives for research and development, stronger engagement with the Lebanese diaspora, specialized research and development clusters in sectors where Lebanon has genuine competitive advantages, and a lasting partnership between universities, industry, scientists, researchers, and Lebanese experts working in leading international universities and research centers.
H.E. Dr. Amer Bisat: Intellectual Property Protection Is Key to Turning Innovation into Economic Value
Minister of Economy and Trade Dr. Amer Bisat highlighted the importance of fostering a national culture that encourages innovation and protects ideas, emphasizing that intellectual property is a cornerstone of the modern economy.
He explained that protecting ideas and inventions not only encourages researchers and entrepreneurs but also plays a critical role in transforming innovation into sustainable economic value capable of generating opportunities and increasing market confidence in Lebanese solutions.
Bisat noted that a knowledge-based economy requires a legal and regulatory environment that encourages creativity and gives innovators confidence that their ideas can be protected and scaled.
He stressed that strengthening the intellectual property ecosystem is essential to supporting researchers, innovators, and startups because it connects knowledge production with economic opportunities and enables Lebanese ideas to become competitive products and services.
According to the minister, innovation represents one of the key pathways toward revitalizing Lebanon’s economy, particularly when linked to market needs and institutional growth. He added that initiatives bringing together universities, the private sector, and business support organizations contribute to creating a more dynamic, knowledge-driven economy.
He also stressed the importance of building a national culture that views ideas and inventions as genuine economic assets and recognizes scientific research as a driver of development. Programs such as Lebanon Innovate, he said, pave the way for broader institutional cooperation and contribute to a more solution-oriented economy capable of creating jobs and strengthening confidence in Lebanon’s potential.
H.E. Dr. Kamal Shehadi: Technology and Artificial Intelligence Must Serve the State and Society
Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence and Minister of the Displaced Dr. Kamal Shehadi focused on the role of technology and artificial intelligence in addressing national challenges.
He stressed that digital transformation has become a necessity for Lebanon to develop practical solutions across sectors, improve its response to economic and social challenges, and build a future driven by data, knowledge, and innovation.
Dr. Shehadi emphasized that technology and artificial intelligence should not be viewed as isolated sectors, but as tools capable of improving public services, modernizing administration, increasing productivity, serving citizens, and enhancing access to effective solutions.
He also underlined the importance of building bridges between technology and productive sectors, as well as between researchers and institutions, to translate digital knowledge into practical applications.
According to the minister, programs that support innovation help prepare Lebanon for a new era in which data, technology, and artificial intelligence become integral to policymaking, institutional development, and national problem-solving.
He concluded by stressing that investment in digital innovation and Lebanese talent is essential to strengthening Lebanon’s competitiveness both locally and internationally. He called for continued efforts to create an environment that enables innovators to test and scale their solutions, transforming technology from a theoretical concept into a practical force that supports the economy, serves society, and contributes to building a more resilient future.
A Legacy That Extends Beyond the Program
The ceremony highlighted the impact of Lebanon Innovate through a dedicated video and live presentation showcasing the program’s key achievements and the contributions of its partners in capacity building, knowledge exchange, and connecting Lebanon with local, European, and Mediterranean innovation networks.
The contributions of the teams who accompanied the program throughout its implementation were also highlighted, including Ms. Krystel Khalil, Programs Director at Berytech, whose guidance helped shape the program’s collaborative approach and ecosystem-building efforts, and Ms. Lea Polony, Program Manager at the European Union Delegation to Lebanon, whose continued support contributed to strengthening cooperation between Lebanon and Europe in the field of innovation.
As the evening concluded, one message stood out clearly: the end of Lebanon Innovate does not mark the end of the innovation journey it helped establish. Instead, it opens the door to a new phase of collaboration and builds on the foundations laid over the past 46 months.
By bringing together universities, research centers, industry, government entities, and business support organizations, the program created a model of cooperation that strengthens Lebanon’s ability to transform knowledge into practical solutions and ideas into scalable opportunities.
While the program has officially come to an end, its impact endures through the networks it built, the capacities it strengthened, and the partnerships it launched, providing a solid foundation for a more mature, resilient, and sustainable innovation ecosystem in Lebanon.
