In October 2022, Fondation Diane was awarded a BUSINESSMED sub-grant for the implementation of the INVESTMED project in Lebanon; an exciting project that is implemented in 3 Mediterranean Partner Countries: Egypt, Lebanon and Tunisia.

Fondation Diane was selected to develop and offer coaching and mentoring services to Lebanese 12 MSMEs established by young people and women.

Implemented by Fondation Diane in Lebanon with the support of Cewas, the InvestMed project aims at empowering the 12 visionary young people and women, through their transformative business and entrepreneurial journey.

Through a meticulously tailored incubation and acceleration program to meet their needs, we seek to unlock their potential and drive them closer towards their goals.

The 12 Green MSMEs who will benefit from the groundbreaking InvestMed project:

  • Dooda Solutions: is a women-led earthworms using advanced technologies to produce premium-grade soil and liquid vermicompost commercially. This project supports farmers to increase their yields at lower costs contributing to food security and low-carbon farming methods.

The InvestMed project will provide Dooda Solutions with the needed incubation services to develop their green business model and plan. The project will also allow them to purchase the necessary equipment to provide farmers with more economical and high-quality non-polluting fertilizers and recycle organic waste.

  • Cezar’s Projects: is a rural development initiative founded by Cezar Mahmoud and led by skilled local youth team. Their primary purpose is to develop standard rural tourism operations and coordinate rural initiatives to achieve long-term rural development through retaining local talents, encouraging innovation in sustainable tourism and generating new sources of income.

The InvestMed project will provide Cezar’s Projects with the needed incubation services to develop their green business model and plan. Additionally, the project will allow them to stay committed to preserving Lebanese culture through all their products and services, particularly agricultural activities, accommodation services, and visitor interactions with locals. “The Farm Art Studio” initiative, which supports Cezar’s Projects mission, aims to restore pottery making and strengthen and preserve artistic activities, farming, and local culinary experiences.

  • Le Joyau d’Olive: was built in 2020 to help small artisans reach international markets. The company aims to save Lebanese cultural and environmental heritage by supporting the entire supply chain of artisanal soap made of virgin olive oil, with no synthetics or additives. The company is deeply connected with Lebanese history, as natural olive oil soap-making techniques were first perfected some 4,000 years ago. They are working with artisans across the country and are also in the process of developing their production facility. In addition, they have introduced natural liquid soaps and look forward to expanding into natural cosmetics.

The InvestMed project will provide Le Joyau d’Olive with the needed incubation services to develop their green business model and plan. Additionally, the project will allow them to acquire machinery and hire a workforce that will get the proper training to produce, stamp, and pack soaps for clients on international markets.

  • Cibus Lab: specializes in transforming agricultural by-products into food items, with a multi-purpose in mind. This process can reduce the cost of these food products, thereby increasing their affordability amidst Lebanon’s ongoing economic turmoil, and can support farmers financially while fostering knowledge sharing. Additionally, Cibus Lab actively reduces the carbon footprint of the food production industry, creates employment opportunities and champions sustainable and eco-friendly business practices. Through its exemplary approach, Cibus Lab sets a leading by incorporating sustainable goals at every stage of production.

The InvestMed project will provide Cibus Lab, under “Meshkat” brand with the needed incubation services to develop their green business model and plan.

  • Darmmess: is a high phenolic extra virgin oil. Established in 2019, it’s a social enterprise which distributes globally premium extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) sourced solely from Dier Mimas and its farmers. With a track record of 4 international awards, their mission is centered on building a territorial branding for Lebanese EVOOs generally and Deir Mimassi, particularly while sustainably enhancing the socio-economic living conditions of the community, focusing on the most vulnerable, especially women. They recently won the Gold Metal in the “World Olive Oil Competition”.

The InvestMed project will provide Darmmess with the needed incubation services to develop their green business model and plan. Additionally, the project will allow them to develop a new product: A noble distilled alcoholic drink with olive leaf as a base. This will create new jobs, support the Lebanese economy through the entry of foreign currency, and scale the growth of their small enterprise in a sustainable mode.

  • Mist Group: is a start-up established in 2019 by life-long friends who found the opportunity amid economic crises to develop and produce new food products to fill the gap in the Lebanese market. Starting with alcoholic beverages, they soon discovered the market need for fun products with a healthy twist.

The InvestMed project will provide Mist Trading, under the brand Katalyst with the needed incubation services to develop their green business model and plan. Additionally, the project will allow them to preserve the tradition and heritage rooted within the Hammana village through its flagship fruit, “the Hammana Cherries” and turn it into a carbonated beverage with no added sugar (except the naturally occurring sugar in the cherries). Healthy carbonated drinks are made with simple all-natural ingredients such as fruits and vegetables, juices, herbs, and spices. These beverages are thirst quenchers and refreshers with a potential immunity booster.

  • Hydrek: provides innovative home-scale hydroponic systems powered by solar energy with creative designs that save space, water and energy. Their system can be used for people to grow crops at home in a small area more quickly than conventional farming methods. This increases food security, reduces reliance on traditional irrigation systems and reduces CO2 by relying on solar power.

The InvestMed project will provide Hydrek with the needed acceleration services to develop their green business plan. To do this, Hydrek will raise awareness of its new product to encourage a transition away from traditional farming methods. They will market to individuals, supermarkets, and NGOs.

  • Plastc Lab: recycles the collected plastic waste by organisations and municipalities into construction and design materials, such as recycled plastic sheets, beams, and blocks that can be used in the construction and design sectors. Taking part in the transition towards a sustainable future, their vision is to work closely with the community and the public sector when needed in developing future solutions for reducing plastic waste, either by consuming less, collecting responsible or a combination of both.The InvestMed project will provide PlastcLab with the needed acceleration services to develop their green business plan.PlastcLab will use the InvestMed grant to improve the efficiency of their washing processes. They will invest in a wash station and pelletiser to optimise production, producing a higher quality product. This will allow them to enter new local and foreign markets.
  • Savvy Element: is a green manufacturing company from Lebanon making sustainable homecare and self-care products. By spreading awareness and knowledge, their vision is to redefine self-care and how it is perceived. They intend for their products to appeal to eco-friendly and non eco-friendly consumers alike.

The InvestMed project will provide Savvy Element with the needed acceleration services to develop their green business plan. Savvy Element will use the INVESTMED grant to boost its expansion. They have four new products in the pipeline and plan to expand their portfolio into full home-care and self-care lines to incorporate sustainability into the everyday life of consumers. They will also investigate new markets and create new employment opportunities.

  • SmartLand: supplies and installs an automated irrigation and fertigation smart system linked to a mobile application to help farmers optimise their production and operating model by providing them with real-time data related to the soil they use. The system can measure the soil’s moisture, send the data to the central hub, measure the weather conditions, start and stop a water pump, and employ a fertigation machine. The mobile application can track and monitor these actions.

The InvestMed project will provide SmartLand with the needed acceleration services to develop their green business plan. SmartLand will use the InvestMed grant to optimise its system and develop its technology, including using smart sensors to increase system reliability and robustness. They will then move to higher-scale production and community engagement to encourage more farmers to adopt their system. From there, they will move to an international market.

  • ReFuse: bridges communities and industries, creating the key linkage for a circular economy to empower each user. Waste power grows with scale: when friends, neighbors and local organisations cooperate, they can use its value to fund community initiatives and solve their most pressing issues. ReFuse flips the problem, making waste the solution.

Their InvestMed project will provide ReFuse with the needed acceleration services to develop their green business plan. With the help of the InvestMed grant, ReFuse will expand its activities in Lebanon and further contribute to the country’s sustainable development, opening a second collection point in the center of Beirut. They will use this to create and fund community-based initiatives for local inhabitants’ socioeconomic and environmental well-being.

  • MezzMix: is focusing on disrupting, innovating, producing and distributing Lebanese sauces and condiments. Niman has been the 1st company to introduce flavored hummus in Lebanon, as well as flavored garlic dip. Their products are addressed to all the Lebanese cuisine lovers, who want to eat the real, Lebanese authentic taste.

The InvestMed project will provide MezzMix with the needed acceleration services to develop their green business plan. MezzMix will benefit from the InvestMed project that aims at empowering such visionary young people throughout their transformative business and entrepreneurial journey.

*This Activity has been carried out with the financial support of the INVESTMED project. The INVESTMED project is co-funded by the European Union under the ENI CBC Med Programme. The INVESTMED project website can be found at: https://www.enicbcmed.eu/projects/investmed

Investmed

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