Berytech, a key player in Lebanon’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, has officially concluded the European Union-funded Lebanon Innovate program. The 46-month initiative wrapped up with a closing ceremony in Dbayeh, bringing together ministers, diplomats, university representatives, and key stakeholders to mark the end of a program designed to strengthen the nation’s innovation infrastructure.
Quick Facts
- Program Duration: 46 months
- EU Funding: Nearly €3 million
- Core Mission: Connect academia, research, and industry
Building Bridges Between Research and Industry
Implemented by Berytech in partnership with IRALEB, IRI, EBN, LEITAT, and ANIMA, Lebanon Innovate focused on translating academic research and scientific expertise into market-ready solutions. The program began by mapping the country’s innovation assets, identifying 13 universities, six research centers, five business support organizations, and 77 industrial institutions to better understand the landscape.
Nicolas Farhat, Deputy General Manager at Berytech, emphasized that the program’s success extends beyond its direct activities. “The true value of Lebanon Innovate is not measured solely by the activities it delivered,” he stated. “It is measured by the networks it created, the capacities it strengthened, and the new spaces it opened for researchers, entrepreneurs, and institutions to collaborate.”
Farhat noted that the program’s core achievement was turning its initial assessment into tangible action, fostering collaboration that helps move research out of the lab and into the market. He framed the conclusion not as an end, but as a call to build upon the established partnerships between Lebanese and European stakeholders.
EU and Government Officials Champion Innovation as Economic Pillar
Top officials present at the ceremony echoed the sentiment that innovation is critical for Lebanon’s economic future. H.E. Sandra De Waele, Ambassador of the European Union to Lebanon, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting the country’s talent.
“Innovation is not limited to technology,” she said. “It is also about finding practical solutions to economic and social challenges and creating bridges between knowledge and the market, between research and society’s needs.”
Minister of Industry, H.E. Eng. Joe Issa-El-Khoury, highlighted the need for scientific research to drive industrial modernization. “Innovation, quality, and reputation are our main marketing tools,” he remarked, calling for sustainable links between universities and industry.
Adding to this, Minister of Economy and Trade, H.E. Dr. Amer Bisat, stressed the importance of intellectual property protection to convert ideas into economic value. He explained that a strong legal framework gives innovators the confidence to scale their solutions and attracts market trust.
H.E. Dr. Kamal Shehadi, Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence, focused on the role of digital transformation in solving national challenges. He positioned technology not as an isolated sector but as a tool to improve public services, modernize administration, and build a data-driven future.
A Legacy of Collaboration
While the Lebanon Innovate program has officially ended, its impact is set to continue through the networks and collaborative models it established. By connecting universities, research centers, industry, and government, the initiative created a framework for turning knowledge into viable economic opportunities. The partnerships formed over the last 46 months now serve as a foundation for a more mature and resilient innovation ecosystem in Lebanon.
About Lebanon Innovate
Lebanon Innovate was a 46-month program funded by the European Union with a budget of nearly €3 million. Implemented by Berytech and its partners, the initiative was dedicated to strengthening Lebanon’s innovation ecosystem by fostering collaboration among universities, research centers, industry, and the public sector to help transform scientific research into scalable market opportunities.
Source: Berytech
