ACT SMART INNOVATION HUB /

IP Valorization Grants Program

Berytech has partnered with The Euro-Lebanese Centre For Industrial Modernisation (ELCIM) of the Industrial Research Institute (IRI) to mobilize Academia and Research institutions to work on commercializing Lebanese intellectual property for the benefit of different sectors and to advance the Knowledge Economy.

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The Grants Program in Brief

The objective of Berytech through its ACT Smart Innovation Hub project is creating opportunities for innovators through different pillars including IP Valorization – valorizing Lebanese Research to commercialization and industry advancement.

Innovation Vouchers

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. 

Agri-food & Cleantech

Projects need to be innovations in Agri-food (Tech, Engineering, Food innovation) or Cleantech (Renewable Energy, Waste and Water Valorization)

Implementing Partners

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. 

IP Valorization 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.

Ramy Boujawdeh – Deputy General Manager at Berytech and Director of ACT Smart Innovation Hub

Co-funded by The Kingdom of The Netherlands

The Kingdom of The Netherlands has co-funded Berytech’s ACT Smart Innovation Hub.

The Netherlands supports programs that are aimed at strengthening the Lebanese social infrastructure and improving prospects for the Lebanese. Indeed, the current situation in Lebanon shows even more than before that innovation and job creation for youth are needed.

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. 

Naji Abi Zeid, ELCIM Director 

Eligibility & Selection Criteria

The 4 grants were open to researchers within an academic institution or research center with innovations in Agri-food as well as Cleantech.

Sectors & Eligibility

The Grants are available to Researchers within an Academic Institution or Research Center. The research project should lead to an independent commercial entity (i.e. there are no exclusivity signed with a corporation)

The sectors covered include innovations in :

  • Agri-food: including Tech, Engineering and Food innovation
  • Cleantech: Renewable Energy, Waste and Water Valorization

Selection Criteria

Main Criteria

  • The project should at least have reached the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Stage 4 (See Appendix 1)
  • The project has a potential for regional and/or international reach
  • The project is innovative and has a patentability and/or IP Protection potential

Contractual Criteria

  • The project will not get involved in the institution IP policies (if available) which govern the relation between the researcher(s) and the institution.
  • The project should lead to be  spun off at the (pre) commercial stage and not stay within the institution.
  • The initial funding and/or contractual obligation of the project is not attached to or commissioned by a corporation (i.e. the project is not work-for-hire).

Amount Awarded & Spending Allowance

The innovation voucher is a grant of $25,000 and will be managed by Berytech.

Eligible costs

  • Consulting and research
  • Development and related simulation or prototyping
  • Knowledge outcomes from researchers Consulting and research

Non-Eligible costs

  • Machinery

Expected Outcomes

Within the 6-month coaching period the grantee should:

  • Complete their Customer Discovery (i.e. validating their customer segment(s), better estimate their market size, refine their value proposition, develop a competitive map)
  • Refine and/or develop their prototype (or Minimum Viable Product)
  • Start to test the research (technology or product) in the field (if possible)
  • Be ready for the incubation phase at Berytech

Need more info?

If you have any questions about the IP Valorization Grants Program, please email us on elcim@elcim-lb.org, or salah.awad@berytech.org and we will get back to you.

Contributing to SDGs

As a member of the Global Compact Network Lebanon, Berytech enacts the 10 principles of the UNGC and the IP Valorization Grants Program falls under Berytech’s mission to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Under the ACT Smart Innovation Hub

The IP Valorization Grants Program is under the ACT Smart Innovation Hub, a new out-of-the-box approach by Berytech aimed at strengthening business advancement and job creation in the Agri-food and Cleantech sectors in Lebanon. Learn more.