Committed to its mission to encourage young people to innovate and create, the Hult Prize Foundation will give five Lebanese youth startups a chance to compete in its final round over the largest seed investment in the Middle East. The winning team will receive a $250,000 prize to set up a startup company and will have the opportunity to participate in the international 2019 Hult Prize Challenge, which will be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, with a $1 million prize awaiting the winner. The five finalists are:
#1. Apple House
This startup seeks to turn under-utilized natural agricultural resources into high value-added products by licensing their proprietary recipes and ingredients to farmers and landowners across the world, enabling them to sell their products at higher prices and in new markets.
#2. Beepers:
Beepers provide a DIY hi-tech beekeeping kit that enables anyone to produce and sell honey. With a very small upfront investment, thousands of people around the world can become entrepreneurs, while safeguarding the survival of one of humanity’s greatest gifts: The bees.
#3. Counselha
Counselha is an online, anonymous, and affordable counseling platform that connects experienced professionals to customers who need help. This enables patients to receive fast assistance 24/7 and professionals to make some extra cash.
#4. Roly
Roly is an application that allows users to recycle by requesting a pickup for their material by an in-network driver. Individuals are able to register with Roly as paid drivers to pick up recyclables and transport them to Roly’s material recovery facilities.
#5. Shop on Wheels
Shop on Wheels combines traditional and online shopping. Customers can book an appointment online and the van ‘shop’ will show up and give the customers an unforgettable retail experience, with all the clothes designed by newly fashion designers graduates.
During the upcoming festival of Changemaker, a youth-focused company, the Hult Prize Foundation will be organizing the final round of its national competition on September 28. The competition was launched at the beginning of this year for the second time in Lebanon. The winning team will be assessed on the potential of the idea to develop into a viable startup that could foster sustainable change.
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