Berytech organized a pitching event for twelve green startups who were part of the coaching phase of the GIMED Support Program for Green Startups.
The Jury selected four winning solutions to receive tailored business support, a grant of EUR 7500 each, and access to international and regional B2B meetings and trade deals, in addition to a diversified network of green partners, investors, entrepreneurs, and professionals.
The Pitching Teams
The 12 startups who pitched at the event have innovated solutions in the fields of energy-saving, pollution prevention, waste recycling, and green product designs. The pitched solutions included: VEA – Upcycled Rubber Handbags, Garbaliser, Vamos Todos, Bsalim Organics, Cultiva, Green Marks, A+, BRIO, Native Nurseries, SmartLand, TERRE Liban.
The startups pitched their solutions after being enrolled in the coaching phase of the program, where they had the chance to validate their solutions, build capacity to secure investment, and successfully take their innovative product or service to market.
The Winners
The jury chose four finalists to join the incubation phase and receive additional support under the Green Applied Research & Innovations Support Program (GIMED). The winners are:
Grade A+, a startup that produces insulation for construction from sheep wool and blankets to replace products used in the market.
VEA is a startup that produces upcycled rubber handbags reusing tons of rubber tubes from tires that are disposed of as waste. This material is not degradable and would be energy-intensive to recycle.
Mortben is a zero-plastic Lebanese brand specializing in plant-based ready-to-eat meals packed in glass jars that redefines healthy eating in the most sustainable way possible.
Native Nurseries is an initiative that plants Lebanese native trees for the reforestation efforts and the landscape sector.
The Jury Members
The jury included Nancy Saliba – Director of Asher Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship – ACIE, John Rbeiz – Environmental Sustainability Consultant, Rana Boji – Investment Specialist at Berytech.
The Jury members evaluated the teams to select the 4 most promising ventures who will move to the next phase and that focused on circular economy solutions and green businesses that solve environmental and social challenges and offer products, services, or technologies leading to environmental improvements and sustainability such as energy-saving, pollution-prevention, waste recycling, and green product designs.
“The GIMED program by Berytech will collaborate with investors, public administrations, and business support organizations to offer these green entrepreneurs increased investment, B2B opportunities, and better support to protect Intellectual Property Rights,” confirmed Elise Sfeir, Senior Programs Coordinator at Berytech.
About GIMED Support Program for Green Startups
With the objective of developing a green economy in the Mediterranean area, the program empowers green startups who play a crucial role in addressing environmental degradation and challenges. It contributes to creating green jobs, especially for women and youth. The Green Impact MED Project – Positive Investments for Positive Impacts (GIMED) is an EU-funded project under the ENI-CBC Med Programme aiming at supporting green entrepreneurs to better access finance and market in the Mediterranean.
