The Lebanese American University’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Division launched the first cohort of the LAUNCH program.
Fifteen teams of idea generators and startup founders participated.
The program runs for 16 weeks, with the goal of transforming innovative ideas into sustainable, scalable, and investable business ventures.
This contributes to strengthening Lebanon’s innovation ecosystem and opens up opportunities for international expansion.
The launch ceremony was attended by university administration, deans, faculty members, and partners from the industrial sector.
Participants presented their ideas to mark the start of the program’s first phase.
In this context, the President of the Lebanese American University, Dr. Shawki Abdullah, emphasized that innovation and entrepreneurship must become a national effort.
He noted that the participation of founders from outside the university reflects this vision.
He noted that providing real opportunities for young people within Lebanon helps reduce brain drain while simultaneously strengthening the local innovation ecosystem.
For his part, Executive Director Dr. Ivan Fakhoury explained that the program represents a new vision.
He added: “It aims to build companies capable of addressing real-world problems, while attracting investment and creating sustainable jobs.”
The first cohort includes projects in the fields of fintech, food tech, and artificial intelligence,
as well as analytics, supply chains, and consumer devices, reflecting the diversity of sectors targeted by the program.
The program consists of four phases, each lasting four weeks.
It includes one-on-one mentoring, specialized workshops, and clear performance metrics to measure progress.
At the conclusion of the program, an investment day is held, along with a three-week stay in New York City
with support from the university’s Technology Transfer Office, with the aim of broadening participants’ horizons and connecting them to global markets.
The ceremony concluded with the participants reciting the “Founders’ Pledge,” affirming their commitment to building innovative companies founded on integrity and learning.
