FabricAID wins the Global Social Venture Competition in Lebanon

Fabric AID, second hand clothes collector and distributor won Global Social Venture Competition in Lebanon.

Fabric AID is a platform, founded by Omar Itani & Tamara Ghandour, which gathers second-hand clothes, sorts them, grades them, cleans them and then distributes them to the 250 pre-exiting second-hand shops in Lebanon or to their very own pop-up shops in under-priviledged neighborhoods.

 

GSVC LogoThe Global Social Venture Competition

Berytech, affiliated to St Joseph University (USJ), is the regional partner of the Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC) in Beirut – a global competition founded by UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business that empowers the next generation of social entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into fundable, scalable ventures that address the world’s most pressing challenges.  

The competition occurs over three rounds during which competing  teams present the social, financial, and environmental values of their business gaining valuable feedback from some of the greatest minds in social innovation.

The winning team selected during pitching day on February 13, 2018 will represent Lebanon in the Global Finals in April in Milan, Italy and will get the chance to win up to $80,000. 

Finalists are chosen based on financial sustainability or profitability, scalability, and should have a quantifiable social and/or environmental bottom line incorporated into their mission and practices. The seven finalists who pitched in the regional finals were judged on: Business potential, market assessment, feasibility of the project, social/environmental impact, business strategy and presentation.

The Partners

The regional round in Beirut took place in Berytech Mathaf in partnership with active organizations in the social entrepreneurship sector including: Al fanarDot Lebanon,  Makesensearcenciel,  USJ,  Global Compact Network Lebanon.

 

The GSVC Competition Pitches

Bildits, by co-founders Wael Saade and Rayan Barhouche, is a miniature construction kit for kids between 12 and 17 that introduces the real process of construction. Using the tools provided in the kit and following simple instructions in the catalogue, kids go through the authentic construction process similar to real life steps:  constructing steel structures, installing formworks, pouring cement, building masonry walls, painting and other.

Kids and adults are given the chance to dream, design and build self-designed models while learning every basic step of the construction procedure.

 

 

 

Recyclo is the digital marketplace for scrap material trading, offering a suite of services that helps all stakeholders trade scraps and recyclables across borders and navigate price volatility.

The platform simplifies the current trading process and levels the trading playing field for all traders including scrap traders, factories and governments.

 

 

 

 

Easy Wall by founder Marwan Sfeir, aims to solve the plastic waste challenge by transforming it into an innovative, marketable and practical construction product.

The plastic is recycled into colored Lego like 20cm x 20cm and 8cm x 20cm blocks with built-in LED lighting that can be used as shelters, exterior or interior walls and furniture design.

 

 

 

 

Koullouna, founded by Marielle Khayat and Pascale Comaty, is a subscription box that aims to connect Lebanese expats and Lebanon-lovers to the country and keep them engaged in its development from afar.

The box allows the subscriber to discover brands, items, artists and flavors from Lebanon curated by the startup and delivered to his door. 

 

 

 

PRO-Shield is a solution solving the worldwide overheating problem faced by residential solar water heaters.

The innovation is a covering mechanism mounted on the solar water heater regardless of its size, type and brand, protecting it against the hazardous effects of the overheating problem and hence enhancing the renewable energy reliability and efficiency.

 

 

 

Yallabus_GSVC

YallaBus, by founders Ghassan Zughaib and Therese Kayrouz, is the 1st Bus Assistant platform in Lebanon. The platform saves the users from the stress of driving and wasting time in traffic, by offering reliable, precise and instant directions to help find a bus.

In a mission to enhance, reshape and facilitate the use of transportation facilities in a city or country, the platform uses GPS tracking and Machine Learning to build a pool of data and uses it to help the community and the economy flourish.

 

 

Lebanon_endorserBerytech and Global Compact Network Lebanon

Launched in September 2015, Global Compact Network Lebanon (GCNL) works closely with the United Nations Global Compact Headquarters to provide opportunities for learning, policy dialogue, and partnership on the Ten Principles and UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Lebanon. Berytech joined their network and committed to promote SDG goals and support the spread of SDG among the startups.

Partnering with GSVC falls under the activities and initiatives Berytech is undertaking within its commitment to the SDG goals.

 

 

GSVC Previous Winners

Read about previous winners of GSVC: Riego, Nar, Carpolo

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