Arabnet Arabnet

Berytech’s mission is to put Lebanon on the world agri-food innovation map to attract international investors and experts to work with Lebanese innovators in this sector. With the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Lebanon, Berytech have been leading on sourcing agri-food innovations from Lebanon for the past 2 years through the Agrytech Program.

The aim of that program has been to stimulate innovation in the agri-food sector. They have done outreach activities around the country to start the conversation on the importance of using technology and science to solve agri-food challenges, supported and funded close to 60 Lebanese startups with agri-food solutions, and organized the creation of an agri-food cluster that will increase the competitiveness of the sector and bring it forward internationally.

In line with their mission, Berytech are organizing the 1^st Agri-Food Innovation Day on February 5, in new BIEL, to showcase these innovations and create a networking environment for startups, SMEs, large companies, as well as entrepreneurs, academia, and public institutions.

The event is organized under the Patronage of His Excellency Mr. Saad Hariri, and made possible with partners such as BLC Bank, Touch, BEL Group, Colonel Beer, Kassatly, Kefraya, the Lebanese Dutch Business Association, Rifai, and UNIPAK, along with the venue partner BIEL, transportation partner Careem, and Berytech’s official insurer Commercial Insurance.

Take a look at the reasons why this event should not be missed:

Carla Tanas Leading the World’s Agri-Food Conversation

Carla Tanas, the keynote speaker, is a serial entrepreneur who has lived on 3 continents, lectures in Innovation and Entrepreneurship in 3 different universities, and has had 2 successful exits. Her main focus is the Future Agro Challenge, an agri-food global innovation leadership platform dedicated to putting agripreneurs in the front lines to address the need to feed more than 9 billion people by 2050 in a sustainable and nutritious manner. Berytech is the official partner of Future Agro Challenge in Lebanon.

Innovating for a Sustainable Agri-Food Sector

Berytech have put together an international mix of academia, the private sector, government, entrepreneurship support, and financing institutions on stage to discuss what it takes to build a thriving ecosystem supporting innovation in the agri-food sector.

The aim of the panel is to facilitate the sharing of ideas to achieve a bigger goal. The panel will discuss policies focused on food security and sustainable development, and will focus on how innovation following a nexus approach to energy, water, and food can actively contribute to a growing sector by creating job opportunities and strengthening the knowledge economy.

Meet Companies Transforming the Agri-Food Scene

The dedicated showcase space will feature new and established companies that are members of the agri-food cluster and are working to transform that sector. Attendees will also have the chance to meet the startups of the two batches of the Agrytech Accelerator, as well as get a first-hand experience with the machines and makers of the Berytech Fab Lab, the hardware prototyping destination for startups.

Innovative Solutions for Investment Opportunities

The 9 startups currently enrolled in the Agrytech Accelerator will debut their products and services for the 1^st time to the public, all of which are tackling challenges that face the different parts of the agri-food sector - from farm to fork. The hard-working entrepreneurs will take the stage to pitch their technology-based solutions and business models that they had been tweaking to perfection for the last 6 months.

Ideation and Access to Finance Workshops

The event includes 2 workshops:

The Ideation workshop, powered by Touch, will help you exercise your business muscles to creatively brainstorm business ideas, evaluate them and turn them into reality.

Access to Finance, the 2^nd workshop in partnership with BLC Bank, will bring together the bank’s experts to explore and explain all the financing possibilities for startups.

The Launch of the Agri-Food Cluster in Lebanon and the Region

Companies with services and solutions across the value chain have joined the agri-food cluster and they are ready to launch it to the world. They have joined forces to accelerate innovation through technical support, improve access to markets through matchmaking and networking, increase competitiveness through solving common challenges, network with international partners, participate in international exhibitions, and lobby through liaising with sister organizations.

10 Startups Compete for the Lebanese Agripreneur of the Year

For the 2^nd year in a row, Berytech have partnered with Future Agro Challenge, the global competition targeting food and agribusiness startups from various corners of the globe, to catalyze innovation in the agri-food industry. The winner of the local competition, “Lebanese Agripreneur of the Year”, will represent Lebanon in the international finals at the Global Agripreneurs Summit and compete against the most promising agri-food startups from across the world for the title of “Agripreneur of the Year”.

Network with Industry Experts, Academia, and Professionals

Most importantly, the Agri-Food Innovation Day 2019 is open for networking opportunities. Attendees can meet with experts, look for the needed services, share ideas, receive feedback, and become part of the agri-food revolution...