The TESSA Program came to a strong and inspiring close during the PowerX Summit 2025, celebrating over a year of strategic support to Lebanese SMEs working toward sustainable, circular, and resilient business models.
TESSA was funded by Agenzia Italiana per la Coperazione allo Sviluppo and co-funded by the Gouvernement Princier – Principauté de Monaco. The project was implemented by ICU in partnership with Enea, Elis Innovation Hub, Fondation Diane, and Berytech and was designed to empower small and medium enterprises in Lebanon through targeted technical assistance, ecosystem engagement, and visibility support.
A Program Overview
Built on Phased, Impact-Driven Support
TESSA was built on impact-driven support which was structured into two focused phases:
Phase 1: Green Business Transformation Academy
- 18 SMEs onboarded from diverse productive sectors.
- 8 hours of group coaching sessions introducing sustainability concepts and market trends.
- 64 hours of sector-specific clinics on circular practices in energy, food, waste, and fashion.
- 40 hours of one-on-one clinics for individualized diagnostics and readiness assessments.
Phase 2: Advanced Support & Pilot Projects
- 10 SMEs were selected for advanced support (one later withdrew).
- Each received customized technical assistance across three core domains:
- Financial strategy
- Legal and regulatory compliance
- Technical upgrades for circularity
- 11 expert consultants were mobilized to deliver hands-on guidance.
These milestones reflect TESSA’s commitment to deep, tailored support that equips SMEs not just to understand circularity but to act on it.
PowerX Summit: Celebrating the Journey
During the three-day PowerX Summit 2025, the TESSA booth served as a vibrant space for engagement connecting entrepreneurs, technical experts, and ecosystem actors around shared visions for a green economy.
The program’s official closing took place on May 14 during a high-level panel on the main stage:
“Sustainability for SMEs: Practical Approaches to Purpose-Driven Growth.”
Moderated by Ms. Nathalie Khoury, Circular Economy and Sustainability Specialist, the panel featured:
- Mr. Saad Maakaroun, Business Development Manager, Green Essence
- Dr. Dario Mancinelli, Environment Sector Expert, AICS Beirut
- Dr. Mazen Khattab, Strategic Lead, SME Development and Circular Economy Policy
The discussion focused on grounded, solution-oriented approaches, demonstrating how SMEs despite resource constraints can reduce operational costs, engage customers more meaningfully, and build long-term business resilience. The PowerX Summit offered a powerful stage to close this journey, amplify the voices of participating SMEs, and issue a collective call for continued ecosystem investment in green innovation.
Reflections from Program Partners
The event also featured closing remarks from Mr. Harout Hamparsoumian (ICU Representative) and Mr. Samer Salamany (Program Manager at Berytech).
Both speakers celebrated the SMEs’ achievements and reinforced the vital role of partnerships across development actors, support organizations, and entrepreneurs in accelerating Lebanon’s sustainability transition.
Their reflections emphasized that systemic change begins with practical interventions, and that even modest shifts in mindset and operations can create long-lasting value economically, environmentally, and socially.
A Legacy of Actionable Sustainability
As the TESSA Program concludes, it leaves behind a clear legacy:
Sustainability is within reach especially when grounded in actionable tools, mentorship, and collaborative effort.
By combining diagnostics, technical expertise, and targeted coaching, TESSA demonstrated that Lebanese SMEs can thrive in a circular economy and even lead it.
TESSA may have closed, but the movement it helped ignite is just beginning.
