Berytech has selected 30 applicants to join the technology transfer program of the EU-funded BESTMEDGRAPE Project that will provide them with the knowledge and tools they need to turn their solutions in grape valorization into successful businesses.
With more than 50 applications received after the open call for applications, a committee from Berytech interviewed 40 applicants to review their profiles, experiences and interest in the sector. The selected applicants will join the first phase of the incubation program to work on their business idea.
Selected innovations range from the exploitation of grape pomace in the pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries, to the exploitation of biomass in animal food or composting or in other farms in the fields of gastronomy or renewable energies.
The Technology Transfer Program
From January 2021 till August 2022, the selected potential entrepreneurs in Lebanon will join entrepreneurs from Italy, Tunisia and Jordan to follow the path for technology transfer and accompaniment to business creation which includes five phases.
In the first phase of the program, they will receive a minimum of 30 hours of sessions focusing on understanding entrepreneurship and business creation, the different processes of creative thinking, pitching and how to present their work.
Following this phase, the teams will work in Living Labs with the Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ) before moving to phase three to focus on the development of their business idea. This phase taps into marketing, finance, accounting, business organization, strategy and innovation. Following this phase, selected teams will be eligible to attend specific networking events, receive money vouchers and access specialized consulting activities to identify the lines of strategic support for to the implementation of the business.
The goal of the BESTMEDGRAPE Project
BESTMEDGRAPE aims at supporting the creation of new startups/SMEs by transferring scientific/technological knowledge on local grape cultivars and the exploitation of wine by-products as a source of bioactive compounds that can be transformed into innovative commercial health products. The project will not only valorize a Mediterranean product – grape – but also the expansion of the grape value chain through the development of nanotechnological products, thus boosting the local economy, reducing environmental pollution and increasing employment opportunities.
The Project In Numbers
- Duration: 36 months: Start date: 01 September 2019 – End date: 31 August 2022
- € 3.3 million Total budget, € 2.6 million EU contribution, 20% Project co-financing
- Main source of funding: European Union (ENI CBC Med Programme)
