One of the foundations of building a good social startup is involving one’s network as stakeholders in the venture, and in the impact one is aiming to create.
With that in mind, Berytech developed and designed the Impact Rise social innovation program as an inclusive ecosystem that helps social startups scale.
Berytech has made sure to involve active partners from its network, social ventures, organizations, funds and institutions as part of the program. These partners bring their knowledge, experts, networks and support in different fields to multiply the impact of the program through reinforcing the work of the startups in it.
Meet the Impact Rise Program partners.
Insure and Match Capital (IM Capital)
IM Capital provides matching capital, equity guarantee, and support programs to a broad range of qualified early-stage businesses and investors in Lebanon.
IM Capital will be conducting the Confideo Venture Mentoring (VM) training to 15 mentors in the Impact Rise program. In partnership with MIT, Confideo VM will be sharing best practices and techniques for effective mentorship for social entrepreneurs, using the group mentoring approach. Mentors will then join the Confideo pool of mentors in Lebanon and will be matched with the Impact Rise social entrepreneurs, supporting them to grow their entrepreneurial skill sets and bring their ideas and inventions to market.
Lebanese Social Enterprise Association (LSE)
LSE is comprised of social enterprises that are strongly committed to connect under one association, organize the sector, connect with local and international partners and build an effective structure capable of catering to the growing needs of social enterprises in Lebanon.
LSE will support the Impact Rise startups in facilitating access to networks and support in promoting the concept of social procurement, opening potential business opportunities to social ventures.
ProAbled
ProAbled aims to boost a shift in society’s mindset from limiting capacities of people with social, financial or physical challenges to creating opportunities for them to prove that they are professionally abled. ProAbled provides “inclusive recruitment” training for startups, SMEs and large companies, with a complimentary recruitment platform to support companies in finding and recruiting skilled candidates with disabilities for their job vacancies.
ProAbled will be training Impact Rise startups on “impact recruitment” and facilitate in recruiting skilled candidates with disabilities for job vacancies in these startups, making a multiplier effect on their social impact.
MakeSense
MakeSense inspires and empowers young citizens to become leaders and spark social and environmental change in their communities. The organization believes in the power of real-life engagement to transform people and society.
MakeSense will conduct 5 ideation Sensefiction workshops for startups to connect them with community members that can share their creative insights and feedback to help startups validate their businesses, solve their challenges and explore innovation opportunities. The Sensefiction is an ideation workshop that aims to gather two types of participants: people who carry an impact project (social entrepreneurs, citizens with an initiative, etc.) and people who want to help (the community).
Middle East Partnership Initiative Lebanon Alumni Association (MEPI LAA)
MEPI LAA is a registered (88 A/D) Lebanese local organization and a network of positive thinkers and advocates of change that was established in 2010. MEPI LAA aims to create public value for the Lebanese society within four pillars: Democracy, Education, Economics and Women Empowerment.
MEPI LAA will support startups to implement activities that include drafting policy recommendations, contributing to human development, enhancing citizenship and promoting the rule of law. MEPI LAA will also inform startups about valuable opportunities available within the network such as grants for projects and capacity building programs.
Arcenciel
Created in 1984, arcenciel’s mission is to engage in the sustainable development of society by supporting fragile groups and integrating marginalized people. The objective of arcenciel is to promote sustainable development through three main axes: Social – care of persons in need, Environmental – the preservation of natural resources, and Economic – the cost-efficiency and financial autonomy.
Arcenciel will support Impact Rise startups in sharing their expertise in a variety of sectors through technical assistance workshops and field visits, facilitating the exchange of expertise depending on the needs of each startup and exploring potential partnership opportunities. Arcenciel currently runs five programs in 12 centers distributed across all Lebanese regions and will provide several services under each.
DOT Lebanon
DOT Lebanon is a youth-led movement of social innovators who have worked over the past 10 years with youth, the private sector, governments and community-based organizations toward a collaborative vision of helping to eradicate poverty, prejudice and gender inequality by giving people the skills and knowledge to use technology to achieve educational, social and economic opportunities. DOT Lebanon provides specialized digital training to unprivileged youth across Lebanon in digital and media literacy, social media and marketing, mobile application development, micro-work, etc. in addition to tailored programs that are linked to the market technological needs.
DOT will provide startups access to their B.O.T. platform, an impact sourcing platform that provides high-quality digital services executed by skilled and trained freelancers from marginalized communities in Lebanon. Each startup will have a marketing voucher worth $2500 to use and boost marketing and visibility.
IES Business School
IES-Social Business School is the first business school focused on Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship. They are the starting point for a path dedicated to Social Innovation in the creation of sustainable business solutions, offering a portfolio of training, research and consulting. They rely on excellence and a strong network of partners to inspire, train, support and connect organizations and people from all sectors of a converging economy.
Berytech has partnered with the IES-Social Business School to conduct training sessions for the startups and coaches. The program is co-designed to train the catalysts for a real Impact Economy.
Global Compact Network Lebanon (GCNL)
GCNL works closely with the UN Global Compact headquarters to provide opportunities for learning, policy dialogue, and partnerships to advance the Ten Principles of responsible conduct and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. GCNL helps companies build a strong understanding of responsible business within the national context and put their sustainability commitments into action.
GCNL will spread the notion of sustainability among the social startups in the program and facilitate local connections with other businesses and stakeholders from NGOs, government and academia. GCNL will contribute to providing visibility with its scope and umbrella so that the program reaches out as far as possible.
Live Love Beirut
LiveLove.org is on a mission to build communities that create hope and a positive impact on Nature, Society, and Culture in cities around the world.
LiveLove will provide special visibility discounted packages for startups, that will support them in developing their outreach across several communities in Lebanon.
Alfanar
Alfanar is a venture philanthropy organization that provides early and growth-stage social enterprises with funding, training, management support and introduction to networks for 4-5 years. During the past 15 years, Alfanar has supported 31 social enterprises that have impacted 47 000 families mainly via access to quality education, vocational training, employment opportunities for youth, women’s economic empowerment and access to affordable goods.
Alfanar will work with the startups to make sure they understand their philanthropy mission and selection criteria set to receive their support.
Fondation Diane
Fondation Diane was created in May 2015 in response to the ecological disaster in the country. Its ideology is based on three pillars: enlighten, motivate and change throughout three axes: CEEDD, Citizen Circle and VIRIDIS – the foundation’s investment platform.
The team at Viridis identifies the best green initiatives, encourages them and provides them with the necessary support, operational and financial, to help them grow and achieve their goals. The fund aims to prove that eco-sustainability and profitability are compatible and thus make tomorrow’s green businesses emerge and serve as an example for business seekers in Lebanon. To date, the fund counts 9 investments in 5 different industries: transport, eco-tourism, waste management, healthy food production, and renewable energies.
Viridis will offer the 15 startups information about the investment platform, the fund, their portfolio and the requirements for to receive funding.
The Impact Rise social innovation program is designed and managed by Berytech and funded by U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI).
