Launch of the IP Valorization Grants Program

Berytech Ideathon 2020
These four grants are aimed at increasing linkages between research and the different sectors and to help advance the Lebanese Knowledge Economy.

Part of the activities under the recently launched ACT Smart Innovation Hub program, Berytech has partnered with the Euro-Lebanese Centre For Industrial Modernisation (ELCIM), at the Industrial Research Institute (IRI) to mobilize Academia and Research Institutions to work on commercializing Lebanese Intellectual Property for the benefit of the different sectors and to contribute and help advance the Lebanese Knowledge Economy. 

Mobilizing Academics and Researchers to Work on Commercializing IP

Four grants of $25,000 each are available through the ACT Smart Innovation Hub program, co-funded by The Kingdom of the Netherlands and Berytech. Two grants will be given to an innovation in Agri-food and two others will be given to an innovation in Cleantech.

Ramy Boujawdeh – Deputy GM at Berytech and Director of the program explains, “One of the main pillars of the ACT Smart Innovation Hub is encouraging the generation and commercialization of Lebanese intellectual property in partnership with leading academic and research institutions. These four grants, or innovation vouchers, are aimed at increasing linkages between Research and the different sectors. This is one of our tools for fostering innovation under the Agri-Food and Cleantech sectors, and we are very proud to be working with ELCIM/IRI as our implementing partners.”

Naji Abi Zeid, ELCIM Director comments, “ELCIM/IRI is pleased to partner with Berytech in implementing the ACT Smart Innovation Hub Research to Commercialization Grant. ELCIM has always supported the development of research within academic institutions and research centers, particularly through the Centre for Innovation and Technology at IRI, recognizing the advantage and potential of our local researchers. Joining forces between ELCIM’s extensive experience with researchers and entrepreneurs and Berytech’s long and established experience supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem, we are providing  maximum support – financial, technical and managerial, for the research projects that will be selected. The ACT Smart Innovation Hub Research to Commercialization Grant program inscribes itself very well within ELCIM’s strategy for research and industrial support.”

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

The 4 grants are open to researchers within an academic institution or research center with innovations in Agri-food (Tech, Engineering, Food innovation) as well as Cleantech (Renewable Energy, Waste and Water Valorization), with patentability and/or IP Protection potential.

The research project should lead to an independent commercial entity (i.e. there are no exclusivity signed with a corporation). The project should have reached at least the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Stage 4 (demonstrated by an Early-Stage Prototype Development), as well as have potential for regional and/or international reach. 

Each $25,000 grant will be used to cover the costs of Consulting and research, Development and related simulation or prototyping, and Knowledge outcomes from researchers.

The objective of Berytech through its ACT Smart Innovation Hub project is to create opportunities for innovators through four pillars revolving around Acceleration – converting innovative ideas to growing businesses supporting job creation and economic growth; Clustering – strengthening the Agri-Food private sector, by increasing innovation practices, strengthening resilience and international competitiveness; Think Tank – supporting the creation of work groups to lobby for better enabling innovation and investment landscape; and finally IP Valorization – valorizing Lebanese research to commercialization and sectorial advancement.

Learn more and apply online here: IP Valorization Grants Program


About our implementing partners: ELCIM / IRI

The Euro Lebanese Center for Industrial Modernisation (ELCIM) is one of the leading Industrial support centers in Lebanon. Created by the European Union and the Lebanese government and initially funded by the EU, ELCIM provides specialized business and technical services to all sectors of the Lebanese Industry since the year 2001. Since 2008, ELCIM has been completely funded and supported by the IRI.

ELCIM has performed more than 1,850 technical assistance activities in public and private trainings, business assessments, financial assistance, feasibility studies, and access to loans. Additionally, ELCIM developed an ICT Cluster (the Lebanon SoftShore Cluster) which supports leading Lebanese software companies access international markets. On the research and innovation levels, ELCIM developed a Food Advisory Unit as well as a Scientific Platform (managed by the Centre for Innovation and Technology) which aim is to strengthen the linkage between academic institutions and manufacturing enterprises.

Some of its current programs include the ELCIM SME Support Programme (ESSP) providing co-financed technical assistance to small and medium enterprises and the Innovation Vouchers Program (managed by the CIT) which provided voucher grants to around 30 researchers, entrepreneurs and academic institutions. 

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