The startup ecosystem in Lebanon is thriving! In fact, the World Economic Forum and the International Finance Corporation shared a list this year called
100 Arab start-ups shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution
that includes
! This year, numerous startups took part in the Global Startup Movement Competition. The latter is a part of GITEX Future Stars 2017 which is the largest startup confluence of global tech entrepreneurs, international investors and influential corporate buyers in the MENA region.
, a Lebanese startup accelerator based in Beirut, devotes itself to seeing grand potentials in new business ideas. In fact, it has gathered 13 Lebanese-founded startups and organized a delegation to GITEX Future Stars 2017 in Dubai. The startups that took part in this competition were competing for prizes that are worth $180,000 in total. 200 startups from the MENA region have applied, and only 17 of them have made it to the finals. Two Lebanese startups that are the alumni of Speed@BDD were among the finalists, and one of them (Fig) made it to the semi-finals!
These are the Lebanese startups!
a new modular do-it-yourself furniture solution based on a mobile application enabling everyone to customize, visualize, and order interlocking modular parts that are very easy to assemble.
Title:
Best Disruptive Startup
Prize:
$15,000 in cash
an online platform that teaches robotics and electronics to youth in a fun and interactive way. From building and coding projects to interacting with virtual missions, Cherpa is introducing a new dimension that reshapes the world of robotics.
Title:
Best Youth Startup
Prize:
$15,000 in cash
Fig:
a startup working on creating chatbots that integrate seamlessly into a user’s life by understanding him and learning his habits. This startup received an investor meeting opportunity. The Lebanese startup ecosystem proved once again that it has the potential to be a leader in the MENA region and eventually, be a competitor in the global market!