On July 2, 2024, the Rural Entrepreneurs in Agri-Food (REAF) program wrapped up its second batch, celebrating the achievements and milestones of its 8 graduating startups during an engaging demo day. The gathering allowed the growing businesses to pitch their solutions, showcase their unique products and services, and connect with a pool of innovators, entrepreneurs, and forward-thinkers. The event also featured an interesting panel discussion between Lara El Khoury, Programs Director and Clara Pellerin, Head of Project at GIZ, moderated by Adam Sleiman, Program Manager at Berytech.
This demo day was the fruit of more than 8 months of hard work and dedication, during which each team got the chance to grow considerably, gaining valuable and practical skills and accessing mentorship, guidance, and financial support to boost their development.
Pre-Incubation: Laying the Foundation for Success
REAF’s second batch began with a 3.5-month pre-incubation phase, during which 15 innovative startups came together, each receiving a $2,000 grant to validate their ideas and prototypes. This phase was designed to help the teams expand their objectives and validate their assumptions about the problems they aimed to solve, the opportunities available, the market size, the target audience, and the feasibility of their solutions.
The startups received practical guidance throughout and participated in one-on-one clinics to address emerging concerns. These sessions provided personalized support, allowing them to tackle specific challenges and fine-tune their strategies. By the end of this phase, an expert jury evaluated the progress of each startup, and selected the top eight to advance to the next stage: the incubation phase.
Incubation: From Ideas to Market-Ready Solutions
The eight startups that successfully navigated the rigorous selection process advanced to the incubation phase, each receiving a $5,000 grant to develop and launch their minimum viable product (MVP). This five-month period focused on crucial aspects such as refining operations, advancing product development, shaping business models, and crafting effective go-to-market strategies.
During this phase, founders embraced the opportunity to achieve product-market fit and adopt the lean startup methodology. They learned to communicate effectively with their target audience and develop sustainable financial structures for business stability and growth. The comprehensive support provided was designed to equip startups with the tools and knowledge needed to succeed in the competitive market.
Workshops and training sessions built their confidence and enhanced their entrepreneurial skills. Additionally, networking events allowed them to connect with industry experts, potential investors, and other entrepreneurs, fostering valuable insights and collaborations.
Meet the Graduates
- Frootgies: Frootgies transforms overlooked produce into premium, nutrient-rich fruit and vegetable powders, reducing food waste and promoting sustainable agriculture.
- Muscle Engineer: Muscle Engineer offers nutritious, protein-packed snacks like cookies, cupcakes, oatmeal, and seed crackers, promoting health and wellness for active lifestyles.
- Reef Catering: Reef Catering empowers rural women by offering catering services to NGOs, socially conscious organizations, and individuals, promoting female entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
- Roots Adventures: Roots Adventures transforms learning into exciting play-based adventures, fostering creativity, curiosity, and holistic development in children through innovative, nature-connected programs led by passionate educators.
- Say It With Chocolate: Say It With Chocolate offers personalized chocolate gift boxes, empowering rural women through training and employment, operating sustainably on solar energy, and now expanding to include vegan chocolates for ethical, plant-based living.
- Spring POP By Mist Trading: Spring POP creates healthy carbonated beverages from unsellable fruits, starting with cherry-flavored drinks from Hammana, focusing on sustainability by reducing food waste.
- Tasmeed: Tasmeed offers a nutrient-rich, eco-friendly soil mix that replaces chemical fertilizers, promoting a greener future and supporting farmers.
- Turas: Turas’ ‘Squeezable Olive Paste’ from Lebanese olives offers innovative flavors, revolutionizes culinary experiences, and supports farmers by maximizing yield and promoting sustainable practices.
During one final selection day, the startups pitched their solutions, and the top three – Reef Catering, Tasmeed, and Turas – were awarded an additional $1,500 grant each.
The Demo Day marked the end of the 2nd batch and highlighted the startups’ incredible progress and potential. This event served as a launching pad for their future endeavors, solidifying their place in the competitive market and fostering a community of innovators dedicated to sustainable growth and impact.
About the REAF Program
Rural Entrepreneurs in Agri-Food (REAF) program that aims at strengthening the socio-economic resilience of individuals in South of Mount-Lebanon, Central and West Bekaa through supporting the business model viability of startups in the agri-food, eco-tourism, sustainable agriculture, and circular economy sectors.
The program is funded by The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in partnership with Berytech, within the framework of the project Strengthening Agriculture, Local Communities, and Small and Medium Enterprises (ACE).