XI-PB-26_AD-Agri-Food
Berytech Foundation
Smart Agri-Food Innovation Hub Project
The Overall objective of this project is to enhance the competitiveness of the Agri-food sector through supporting innovative start-ups. This will be achieved through connecting and promoting top innovation players in Lebanon and the Netherland and further developing the Agri-Food tech economies.
Berytech Foundation
3586754
LB-MOI-26_AD-4000002830
Berytech Foundation
A.C.T. SMART Innovation Hub 1.0
As the name implies the ACT SMART (Agri-Food & Clean Tech) Innovation Hub represents a new out-of-the-box approach for strengthening business advancement and job creation in the Agrifood and Cleantech sectors in Lebanon.
Netherlands - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Berytech Foundation
5900000
5900000
4 acceleration cycles completed (2 Cleantech + 2 Agrytech) following broad outreach, rigorous selection and competitive advancement from one stage to another
32 startups have benefited from incubation support
Agrytech Batch 3 Phase 1 is running during this period
Q1 - 2020: Agrytech Bacth 3 phase 2 is running during this period. Q2 - 2020: Incubation will start in July 2020 for Agrytech Batch 3
Q3 - 2020: 8 startups benefitted from Agrytech Phase 3
96 startups benefited from boot camp and built minimum viable products
It was planned to get 24 startups to join Agrytech program. As the funding was not confirmed until summer 2019, Berytech put effort to promote the program, but not to its full capcity as we weren’t sure the program will be funded. Also, the start of the economic downturn didn’t help.
Q1 - 2020: No data to be reported for Agrytech. As for Cleantech, phase will start in Q2 - 2020. Q2 - 2020: No data to be reported for Agrytech. As for Cleantech phase will start in Q3 - 2020.
Q3 - 2020: 23 startups joined the validation phase of the Cleanergy program
Q4-2020: N/A
Q1 - 2021: 28 (Agrifood)
Q4 - 2021: 18 (cleantech)
(Agrifood special edition)
48 startups have benefited from acceleration support
12 startups composed of 31 entrepreneurs went through phase II of Agrytech: 20 Males & 11 Females; 26 under 35 years & 5 Above;
Q3 - 2020: 13 startups joined the acceleration phase of the Cleanergy program
Agrifood
11: Cleanergy
10: Agrytech special edition
600 potential entrepreneurs have received capacity strengthening
Outreach activities for Agrytech Batch 4 and Cleantech Batch 1 are planned to take place in 2020
Q1 - 2020: 85 (2 Ideathons, North and ML) Q2 - 2020: 897 (Cleanergy Hackathon, Cleanergy learning series)
Q2 - 2020: 897
Q4: 249
Q1-2021: 824
Q2-2021: 249
Q3-2021: 60
Q4-2021:0
Outreach activities were conducted to recruit potential applicants for the accelerators. The last outreach for Cleanergy Batch 2 took place in 2021 same as Agrytech Batch 4. the Agrytech Special edition did not require outreach activities as it was targeting more advanced startups (no hackathons or ideathons)
200 founders of start‐ups and high growth SMEs have benefited from comprehensive capacity building.
32 applicants out of the total applicants who attended the outreach activities were shortlisted and interviewed. Adding to this number, the total number of founders of high growth SMEs who have benefitted from capacity building sessions provided by QOOT cluster. 22 founders attended the risk management training and 8 founders attended the trade mission.
48 applicants out of the total applicants who attended the outreach activities were shortlisted and interviewed for cleanergy batch 1.
Adding to this number, the total number of founders of high growth SMEs who have benefitted from capacity building sessions provided by QOOT cluster:
22 representatives from 12 different companies participated in a training on Lean management.
More than 56 members benefited from workshops and webinars
More than 166 members benefited from informative sessions on market trends and export opportunities
13 companies registered on world food innovations
17 members benefited from virtual B2B meetings with US key players
82 companies benefited from informative sessions on export opportunities and market trends (USA, KSA, UK, Italy)
Q1-2021: Sector: Agrifood
Geographical area:
71 Beirut
75 Mount Lebanon
27 Bekaa
28 South
12 North
(AgB4 Outreach Partners Trainings: 166)
AgB4P1 : 93
Disaggregation by:
Gender (55 male and 38 female)
Age range (66"<35" ;27" >35")
Nationality (93Leb, 0 Syr)
Sector (Agrifood)
Geographical area
Q3-2021: Qoot: 125
Gender: 68 male and 57 female
Nationality: 125 Leb
Sector: 82 Agrifood, 35 services, 8 manufacturing
34 Mount Lebanon
8 Bekaa
4 North
14 South
1 Akkar
9 Beirut
ClB2P1: 58
Dissegregation by:
Gender (39 male, 19 female)
Age range (43 (<35), 15 (>35))
Nationality (53 lebanese, 5 italian)
Sector (Cleantech)
Geographical area (23 Beirut, 5 Bekaa/Hermel, 27 Mount Lebanon, 3 North Lebanon)
Q4-2021: QOOT: 263
Gender: 150 Male and 113 female
Nationality: 262 leb, and 1 other
Sector: 91 Agriculture, 86 services, and 84 manufacturing
Geographical area:
142 Mount Lebanon
21 Bekaa
23 North
30 South
5 Akkar
42 Beirut
Financial services secured to outstanding startups across the four acceleration cycles
Investment Readiness workshops conducted for the 32 startups that make it to the incubation stage and matching with relevant investment funds
Nothing to be mentioned yet as we are still in Phase I (acceleration) of the program (Batch 3)
7 investment readiness workshops including 1:1 clinics were conducted for the 8 startups of Agrytech’s Batch 3 that made it to Phase 3 - the Growth & Incubation phase.
Q1- 2021:
Cleanergy :
Finance clinics 2*10 startups
Pitching event :1
Agrytech:
Finance clinics 3*8 startups
Pitching events:5
3 Workshops
Q2-2022: Cleanergy :
Finance clinics 3*10 startups
Agrytech:
Finance clinics 2*10 startups
Pitching events :1
Q1-2022:
Cleanergy: Clinics 2 *10 startups
2 Workshops
1 pitching event
Agrytech : Finance Clinics 3*8 startups
Investment Readiness clinics 2
3 Workshops
5 Pitching events
Q2-2022:
Cleanergy: Clinics 3 *10 startups
Q3-2022:
ClB2P3 :
Finance clinics : 24 Clinics
Pitching events :3
Board Events :2
AgSE:
Finance clinics: 34 Clinic
Finance workshop :2
Board Event : 2
Q4-2022:
ClB2P3 :
Finance clinics : 9 Clinics
Pitching events :1
Financial Plan Pitch event: 1
Board Events: 1
AgSE:
Finance clinics: 29 Clinic
Pitching events :3
Board Event : 2
96 startups supported for up to 1.55M USD (2k for startups that make it to the bootcamp, 15 k to the incubation phase and 20k to the acceleration phase)
Three Cleantech working groups on water, waste and energy established in partnership with like‐minded institutions from the Netherlands
Six policy reforms papers with actionable recommendations are produced by the 3 working groups
A leading policy studies institute from Lebanon is matched and works closely with Berytech and other local stakeholders to steer the process
At least 15 stakeholders join each of the three Cleantech working group on water, waste and energy
Energy: 11
Waste: 16
Water: 9
Operations and growth of the Agrifood innovation Cluster (QOOT) supported to achieve sustainability
Achieving silver certification Label for QOOT in 2022 according to the European Cluster Excellence standards
Capacity building, trade missions & mentoring to improve competitiveness of QOOT cluster members
Q1 - 2020: QOOT: 1. Training to QOOT Board members with Dr. Roger (Food Valley) 2. Roundtable: on Friday 3 of Jan, about challenges faced in this crisis- 12 companies from QOOT participated, 3. Breakfast session on Mon 13 of Jan with Dr. Roger Van Hoesel to talk about Cluster role in crisis and some cases of companies resilience. 15 companies from the cluster participated 4. Lecture at AUB on Wed 15 of Jan, with Roger to talk about Clustering, the role of agrifood clusters in crisis and the important role of academia/industry - 17 participants 5. Webinar on March 24: 3 kenote speakers (including 1 female) - 56 participants
Q2 - 2020: QOOT organized 3 webinars (Zoom in &Learn events) with a total of 161 participants
Q3 - 2020: 2 QOOT members are registered on world food innovations platform: Compost Baladi and Rigino
Q4 - 2020: 66 members benefited from informative sessions on market trends and export opportunities
3companies registered on world food innovations: TGT, Arc en ciel, cafe abi n66
17 members benefited from virtual B2B meetings with US key players
15 members from QOOT benefited from an informative session with the Lebanese emabassy in the KSA
Q1-2021: - workshop on exportability:45
and 6 benefited from clinics with the expert
- workshop with Boeker :26 participants
- informative session with ARE:36 participants
- China informative session : 40
- Workshop on product development with Dr Abiad: 23 members out of 56 particiants
1 agb3 startup joined qoot
At least 50 new members join QOOT bringing its total membership to 100 by 2021
Q1 - 2020: 4 companies (Khoury Agriculture, Abido, Cave des ours, Cafe Abi Nasr) Q2 - 2020: 7 new members (Grapeful, Libanpack, the dry company, Compost baladi, Lama Foods, Boecker, GWR)
Q3 - 2020: 3 new members: NOYAU , The 3 brothers, Fresh Farm
Q4-2020: 11 new members: Agrocedrus, Ayadina, Cidra, Delta group, House of lilies, L'atelier du miel, La recolte, Skaffarm, Tsoler's, Agzia, SeaSky Services
Q1-2021: 12 new members joined: Darmmes, Emm el Khayrat, Rawda farms, Groabit SARL, Fattoria del sole, Chateau Ksara, olio organica, J Grove, Mezzmix, Aquafarm, Laiterie du couvent, Taqa snacks
Q2-2021: 5 new members: Biomass, Tanmia, Daccache greenline, Cedar's premium, Nature,
1 new associate member: Foodsight
Q3-2021: 5 new members: Debbane agri, orso bianco, raw bites, Plnty
1 new associate members: AIL,
Q4-2021: 4 new members: Greenessence, Karam wine, Mounir Bissat factories, Bioterre,
Q1-2022: 5 new members: Bites of Delight, Soler's, Le pré, Rim Mills, Chateau Saint Thomas
1 Associate member: The Net
Q2-2022: 8 new members: Maison Alfred, Rechmaya Distillery, Atyab Zeit Boulos, Tony's food, Crumble, Atibaia, Agrifresh, Lebanon genco olive oil
Q3-2022: 3 new members: Al wadi al akhdar, Dry & Raw, Chateau Cana
Innovative startups contribute to decent job creation and sustainable economic development, reducing hence unemployment and brain‐ drain particularly among women and youth
At least 200 direct jobs and 400 indirect jobs created throughout the lifetime of the program (25% women, 50% youth)
Q4 - 2019: The program started in September 2019, we measure the jobs created starting six months into the acceleration program.
Q1 - 2020: The program started in September 2019, we measure the jobs created starting six months into the acceleration program.
Q2 - 2020: 26.75 Direct and 61.5 Indirect.
Q3 - 2020: 29 Direct and 66.7 Indirect
End of year 2020: The variance between the actual number of jobs and the target for 2020 for both direct and indirect jobs can mainly be attributed to 2 main reasons:
- The global Covid-19 pandemic and the numerous subsequent lockdowns and circulation liminations we had to go through in Lebanon.
- The unprecedented socio-economic, financial, and currency crisis Lebanon has been going through since October 2019.
92 direct
209 indirect
87 direct
198 indirect
At least 60% of incubated startups are still operational and generating revenues 12 months after the program ends
At least 6 startups have raised a minimum of 100k USD of venture capital or Angel Investors capital during the lifetime of the program
Q4 - 2019: Nothing to be mentioned yet as we are still in Phase II (acceleration) of the Agrytech program (Batch 3); Q1 - 2020: Nothing to be mentioned yet as we are still in Phase II (acceleration) of the Agrytech program (Batch 3);
Q2 & Q3 - 2020: Nothing to be mentioned yet as we are still in Phase III (Incubation) of the Agrytech program (Batch 3) and Phase I of the Cleanergy Program (Batch I)
End of year 2020: nothing to be mentioned yet as we are still in Phase III (growth and incubation) of the Agrytech program (Batch 3) but expecting about 100K by February 2021.
Q1-2021: 1 startup (Niman) raised 25K in grants
Smartland, Garbalizer, Ground: Seeders - each got 50k lollars, the equivalent of $10k
On top of Seeders (cf. Q2 note) Biowayste got $20K as a grant from Oxfam
Diwama Raised 103K grants
Nadeera Raised: 150K Investment and 75k Grants
Smartland Raised 11.5K Investment from IM Capital
Grabaliser Raised 11.5k Invesment from IM Capital
SmartLand (10,000Euros), Diwama (20,000$)
Luxeed (5,000$), Garbaliser (30,000$)
Ground Vertical Farming ($70,000), Mezzmix ($4,000)
Nadeera ($180,000), Diwama ($130,000), Garbaliser ($13,000)
At least 2 startups (one Cleantech and one Agrifood) managed to introduce ground‐ breaking innovations to the sector.
Nadeera, Innergy and Partners With Sun
In the agri-food sector, the food security situation was getting worse since 2019. Entrepreneurs in this sector were focusing more on finding solution to substitute import and solve the most pressing problems in the sector. 2 startups tried to create a ground breaking innovation were: Crowdfarming Lebanon and Xtend. CrowdFarming were not able to continue due to the lack of infrastructure to support fintech solutions in the Agri-food sector in Lebanon. Xtend are still optimizing their MVP and industrial process but if the make it they will impact positively the food waste.
Improved policies, regulations and business‐to‐business linkages contribute a private sector‐led ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship in the agriculture, energy, waste and water sectors
The Agrifood Innovation hub (QOOT) has become a sector leader and achieved self‐ sustainability
Q1 - 2020: Election of 7 new board members Q2 - 2020: QOOT launches associate membership: companies that provide services to the agri-food members QOOT organized 3 webinars with a total of 161 participants QOOT organized 2 all members-cluster meetings: on May 7, 24 participants, on July 15, 28 participants QOOT organized 5 board meetings;
Q3 - 2020: "QOOT organized 1 all-members cluster meeting on July 15, 28 participants and 6 board meetings; Kick off of QOOT Strategy with Innovates; Opening of QOOT WhatsApp group, Facebook page and collaborative online platform on Slack; QOOT launched a post blast initiative in collaboration with AEC".
End of year 2020: Starting March, QOOT adapted the new normal and shifted its trainings and workshops to online activities. Organizing online learning series regarding actual challenges.
The cluster, as part of the Virtual Agri-Food Innovation Day 2020 #AFID2020, organized a panel on Cluster-Driven Circular Economy.
As a first step, QOOT, in collaboration with the Food Valley, built the export portfolio of the companies, and had the chance to provide its members the opportunity to establish a first connection with some distributors in Europe.
Further to this activity, QOOT focused on creating partnerships with Lebanese embassies in the US, UK, and KSA as well as with the Italian trade agency of the Italian embassy in Lebanon, hosting various national and international speakers, including informative sessions about market trends and market opportunities.
Q1-2021: QOOT strategy finalized
Signed MoU with LEAF_AUB
4 board meeti+AI23ngs were organized
Fundraising through applying to USAID_ARE and AFD funds
Started collecting membership fees
5 QOOT members applied to EU TAF funding program
12 members benefited from LED
Bulding a project with the Lebanese Embassy in China and MOET
Q2-2021: Signing MoU with BIEEL_ FTL
Qoot joined a national consortium along with IDAL, ALI, BIEEL, RMF, PSDP to work closely with SMEs
QOOT partnered with ITA on an event with B2B
election of 1 board member
Qoot members participation in panel discussions
QOOT @skills virtual fair
5qooters won We4f
Qoot and techdays event
Q3-2021: Qoot joined 2 international fairs: 6 members in Fine Food Fair in UK and 8 in Macfrut in italy.
Qoot won Cluster4greens grant, and the scale up voucher grant.
Qoot members participated and pitched in international webinars (France webinar, and techdays event)
3 qoot members enrolled in the 2nd call of Eu TAF
Q4-2021: QOOT got registered as an independent entity, with the MOI notification number: 1447.
QOOT participated in the US embassy event, where 8 Qoot members showcased their products and had B2B meetings with US brokers.
QOOT signed a MoU with the Polish chamber of commerce of exporters and importers (IGEI).
2022: As a continuity of the Lebanese embassy event in the US, 8 Qoot members benefitted from transportation and logistics grants - a UNDP project.
QOOT launched its 2022 strategy, in AFID2022, focusing on 3 main pillars: Innovation for Rediness, Innovation for Competitveness, Innovation for Internationalization.
QOOT was in partnership with Berytech in AFID2022 event and showcased its members and their products in a booth that attracted a lot of new joiners; QOOT was positioned as the center of the agri-food sector.
QOOT signed an MoU with the Note Dame University.
QOOT granted 5 of its members a 1000$ voucher to foster their innovation and linking them with an academic partner.
Following the AFID B2B matchmaking, 4 companies closed a deal with 6 buyers, and deals with 20 companies are still in process.
QOOT recruited a publisher and launched its campaign to create awareness about its members and innovation in the lebanese agrifood sector, 6 articles and 1 video where published.
QOOT is more & more attracting Lebanese Agri-Food SMEs, which is relflected by the big number of application forms filled and recieved (more than 20).
QOOT is more reliable by going through the Labeling process for clusters management excellence. 2 sector-related videos were published. The organization of a trade mission to the Netherlands and visit to WUR was also a flagship event with more than 24 members involved.
QOOT is more & more attracting Lebanese Agri-Food SMEs, which is relflected by the big number of application forms filled and recieved (more than 30).
QOOT is now silver labeled for cluster management excellence. 1 sector-related videos was published.
QOOT organized the Lebanese Pavilion at the ADIFE2022 with 14 SMEs and the Cluster Manager was a Key Note speaker for a circularity topic; a QOOT member (Eshmoon) won the Food Innovation Award.
QOOT in partnership with the Lebanese Embassy in Amman organized a Trade mission to Amman with 12 SMEs; the ourcome is promising
At least 2 policy reform proposals for the Cleantech and Agrifood sector are discussed nationally and submitted to the Ministry of State for Technology & Investments for adoption
Q1 2020 - Q2 2020: Nothing to be mentioned
End of year 2020: This indicator is about policy reforms and establishing lobbying and coordination structures that will last beyond the lifetime of the program. Our implementing partner Issam Fares Institute (IFI) will be reporting on this indicator around August 2021. The activities under output 3 that is contributing to the achievement of this outcome started on March 2020 and have experienced multiple delays due to the pandemic, port explosion and economic crisis that the country is witnessing but the outcomes are very promising, and the white papers drafts are starting to take shape. As for the connection and advocacy activity it is planned to start in 2021.
2022: 4 Policy Papers to be dissimated during GrID Event in Oct 2022. The dissimination was delayed due to the political and socioeconomic instability in Lebanon
Cross‐fertilization with like‐minded institutions from the Netherlands coupled with dynamic academia to industry linkages contribute to the improvement of the local business environment and private sector development
At least 3 new patent applications and/or licensing agreements have been developed by universities through tech transfer support and are linked to industrial applications.
Q1 - 2020: Nothing to be mentioned for now. Media Campaigns and application were received. Q2 - 2020: Nothing to be mentioned for now. Q3 - 2020: Nothing to be mentioned for now.
End of year 2020: There is no patent agreement developed yet.
Q1-2021: Finalized the training and one on one sessions with the teams. Reached a better definition of the MVP for each team. Get them ready for the incubation process.
At least 4 Lebanese‐Dutch partnerships are established to support the Cleantech and Agrifood sector development
End of year 2020: The relationship was built with Wageningen University, StartLife, Food Vallet and Yes!Delft and the contracts/MOUs are signed.
The Lebanese institutions engaged in supporting the Cleantech working groups remain committed to support them beyond the lifetime of the program
End of year 2020: The working groups in the 3 sectors: Energy, Water and Waste were organized and executed by AUB – Issam Fares Institute from mapping the different SMEs, Organizations and Public entities working in these sectors to organizing the round tables.
Generation & commercialization of intellectual property (academia to industry links) encouraged
Four competitive “Innovation Vouchers” provided to research and/or academia organizations working on creating an innovative product or service needed by industry
Q1 - 2020: Completed. 4 grants were awarded (2 agrifood and 2 cleantech). From a selection of 32 applications.
Q2 - 2020: Received initial disbursement plan from winners. Ran Kick-Off meeting to introduce the coaching and training program, as well as objectives of the sessions
Q3 - 2020: Running the training sessions (3) as well as the one-on-one sessions (20)
Q4-2020: Continued the training and one-on-one sessios. One team (Marc Bou Zeidan) pulled off the program as he can't commit the proper time fr it. Follow up with all the teams. They start to have a clearer view of their objectives.