Supporting innovation in the agrifood & cleantech sectors in Lebanon

The ACT Smart Innovation Hub is a comprehensive initiative launched by Berytech to enable the Lebanese entrepreneurial ecosystem and stimulate innovation and startup creation in the agrifood and cleantech sectors, contributing to local and regional economic growth.

ACT Smart Innovation Hub in brief

The ACT (Agrifood Clean Tech) Smart Innovation Hub takes a sector-wide approach for economic growth by stimulating innovators and entrepreneurs to put their creativity and energy at the service of the agrifood and cleantech sectors, encouraging them to develop local solutions to the challenges faced by Lebanon and the globe.

Berytech launched The ACT Smart Innovation Hub initiative in 2019, with funding from the Kingdom of The Netherlands, following the very successful two-year Agrytech Program.

In 2022, the initiative was upgraded and renewed for four years with the aim of maximizing its impact in growing and scaling innovative startups, supporting the Lebanese entrepreneurial ecosystem and working towards economic recovery.

months to run from 2023 to 2025
1
startups to be supported
100
support organizations to be empowered
1
new jobs to be created, directly or indirectly
100
grants to be disbursed
$ 1.1 M+

INITIATIVE IMPACT 2019-2022

Agrytech Accelerator Program
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ACT Smart Innovation Hub Tracks

1 — Startup Acceleration

Catalyzing innovation for challenges in agrifood and cleantech sectors

The ACT Smart Innovation Hub Initiative runs two accelerator programs: Agrytech for innovations in agrifood tech and Clyntech for innovations in clean technology.

Berytech will run three batches for Agrytech and two batches for Clyntech for the duration of the ACT Smart Innovation Hub Initiative supporting in total 60 startups with packages of up to $100K in support and grants.  

Berytech developed the Agrytech and the Clyntech Accelerators as 10-month programs from which startups graduate with scalable businesses.

Program Impact 2019-2022

admitted
startups
1
graduated startups
1
jobs
created
100
grants
disbursed
$ 1.1 M+

Sourcing and supporting startups with solutions across the agrifood value chain to scale into successful businesses with global impact.

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Sourcing and supporting startups with clean technology solutions for the quickly evolving environmental challenges.

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2 — Business Clustering

Increasing competitiveness & growth of the agrifood & cleantech sectors

Berytech has launched the QOOT cluster in 2019 to strengthen innovation in Lebanon’s agrifood sector and help it attain both regional and international acclaim. 

Berytech is also establishing clusters in clean technology to stimulate innovation, increase competitiveness and market access to Lebanese ventures — one cluster for the waste management sector and another for the renewable energy sector. 

Berytech aims to initiate the governance, legal and management structures, and systems and sustainability of the clusters.

Lebanon’s leading agrifood innovation cluster, catalyzing sustainable growth, enhancing capabilities and competitiveness, and opening world markets to Lebanese agrifood businesses.

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Program Impact 2020-2022

cluster
members
1
trade
missions
1
networking
events
1
international trade missions
1

3 — Scaling Startups

Scaling Lebanon’s most innovative startups in all sectors

Berytech is providing startup founders across all sectors with the support they need to start their investment journey, connect with potential investors, and scale their startups.  

The scaling track aims at focusing on scale-up methodologies and investment readiness through the identification of the best financial injection methods whether equity or non-equity based.  

Berytech launched the ScaleSmart program in 2023 to bridge the funding gap for pre-seed or seed startups working in different sectors by equipping them with the knowledge and tools necessary to plan a solid investment path and matching them with investors and investment opportunities. 

Supporting twenty early-stage startups in becoming investment ready, plan their investment journey, and scale while revitalizing the startup investing ecosystem and revitalizing the economy.

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4 — Ecosystem Partner Growth

Catalyzing the entrepreneurship ecosystem across all Lebanon

Berytech has created the Partner Growth Program under the ACT Smart Innovation Hub Initiative to enable five support organizations in different Lebanese regions, for three consecutive years, to source entrepreneurs with innovative solutions in the agrifood and clean technology sectors, assist them in ideating and validating their solutions, and initiate them to apply and join the Agrytech or Clyntech Accelerators and grow their businesses. 

Enriching the entrepreneurship scene and building the next generation of entrepreneurs while increasing economic resiliency and employment in all areas of Lebanon.

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"With the current economic and political crisis that Lebanon is going through, it is now more important than ever to continue to encourage and support the next generation of entrepreneurs."

Kingdom of the Netherlands Logo

Co-funded by The Kingdom of The Netherlands

ACT Smart Innovation Hub is co-funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Lebanon. The Netherlands supports programs that are aimed at strengthening Lebanon’s social infrastructure and improving prospects for its people.

The program's partners

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Meet the advisory board

Meet the team

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