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Building the capacity of innovation stakeholders including academia and industries in Intellectual Property (IP), Technology Transfer (TT).
Building the capacity of innovation stakeholders including academia and industries in Intellectual Property (IP), Technology Transfer (TT).
In a world where ideas are as valuable as gold, creating a strong shield to protect these intellectual treasures is essential. This challenge is at the heart of Berytech’s efforts, together with its partners from the European Business and Innovation Centre Network (EBN), through the significant “Lebanon Innovate” (LI) program, Funded by the European Union (EU). Lebanon Innovate is not just any program; it acts as a driving force to turn Lebanon into a center of innovation by helping universities turn research into products that are ready to sell.
On February 1st and 2nd, 2024, phase one of the activity concluded with a Training of Trainers (ToT) session, bringing together various Lebanese universities and research institutions representatives.
The training provided participants with the knowledge and tools needed to develop innovation and intellectual property (IP) strategies for their organizations. It focused on IP fundamentals, art searches, and the intricacies of IP management and strategy. It also addressed the fundamentals of technology transfer and knowledge valorization, highlighting how these elements contribute to the effective commercialization of ideas.
From Academic Innovation to Business Integration
Imagine Intellectual Property (IP) as a secret shield safeguarding your creative ideas, just like when you protect your rights to a groundbreaking study aiming to cure cancer. It involves legal measures designed to ensure that a person’s creative efforts are recognized and protected.
A primary goal of this initiative is to educate university communities about this protective shield, empowering them to effectively guard their innovations.
Alongside this, efforts are underway to integrate the business aspect into academia, ensuring that intellectual creations are not only safeguarded but also ready for entrepreneurial development within university premises. This prepares the groundwork for these innovations to be spun off into startups or other professional opportunities.
Training’s Starting Point
Prior to the on-site Training of Trainers (ToTs), participants were led through a specialized journey under the guidance of José Ricardo Aguilar, Head of Legal and IP at EU|BIC Instituto Pedro Nunes. This journey included a comprehensive 10-module program that blended theoretical knowledge with practical sessions on IP management and strategy development, targeting university representatives (deans, researchers, etc.).
On-site
The program proceeded with an on-site two-day workshop, led by Dr. Mohab Anis, CEO of Innovety, laying the groundwork for participants to engage deeply with the material and practical applications. This phase was integral for participants to draft an innovation and IP strategy roadmap for their organizations.
What’s next
The journey will progress to its next phase, with Dr. Mohab Anis leading group coaching sessions for each university. Spanning a 90-day period, these sessions will focus on assessing participants’ progress and providing guidance on the execution of the developed roadmap.
Key Takeaways from the Onsite Training
Day 1: Innovating at Universities
During the two-day training session, participants explored how universities can drive innovation effectively and set up a clear structure. Dr. Anis highlighted the importance of:
Dr. Mohab Anis, CEO of Innovety
Dr. Anis also discussed pathways for commercialization, such as turning the idea into concrete business ventures or licensing, facilitated by incubation hubs and most importantly, technology transfer offices (TTOs).
Day 2: Empowering Universities
On the second day, Dr. Anis emphasized Lebanon Innovate’s role in supporting universities and how they can assist in establishing technology transfer structures, developing IP policies, and securing funding.
Recognizing diverse needs, the program aims to tailor support, ensuring all universities have what they need for successful innovation.
The Vision
In the words of Ramy Boujawdeh, COO of Berytech, “We want to see more entrepreneurs coming out of universities and see more startup spinoffs. Through that, the Lebanon Innovate program is a spark for a much longer partnership amongst all of us. You [universities] have a very important role to really make this transformation.”
This emphasizes the program’s dedication to fostering entrepreneurship and innovation within academia. It highlights the pivotal role of universities in nurturing and safeguarding university-led innovations, achieved with Lebanon Innovate’s support through comprehensive guidance on acquiring funding and operational assistance.
By Maha Zouwayhed
Innovation doesn’t happen in silos—it thrives when minds, industries, and institutions collaborate to create something greater than the sum of their parts. Lebanon is rich in intellectual capital, pioneering research, and global connections, but these resources often remain fragmented. University innovation hubs change this equation. They are not just incubators—they are the bridge between research, industry, and investment, ensuring that ideas move beyond theory into real-world impact. At the Talal and Madiha Zein AUB Innovation Park (iPark), we’ve seen how tailored support, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and global reach determine whether a
startup scales or disappears into the “Death Valley” of early-stage ventures.
Universities as the Innovation Funnel
Many of Lebanon’s most promising startups were born out of academic research like; Teucer, NeuralVision, VitaeMD, ICreaT, Celitech and WrenEV. Universities offer a unique environment where ideas emerge, maker labs accelerate prototyping, and faculty expertise drives innovation. Without structured commercialization pathways, many innovations stall. University hubs fill this gap—helping research spin out into market-ready companies, connecting founders with their relevant industry, and securing access to early-stage funding.
Collaboration Over Competition: The New Model
The old mindset valued competition, but in today’s economy, collaboration is the true driver of success. One of the surprises that I discovered upon entering the startup support field was that top incubators don’t work with experts on a commercial basis, but on a collaborative one. Organizations like GAN (Global Accelerator Network) support thousands of startups through February 6, 2025 Page 2 of 2 Expert Insights:
University Innovation Programs, The Catalysts for Lebanon’s Innovation Ecosystem mentorship from global experts, investors, and industry leaders—offered as a non-commercial, shared-value network. With that said, it is clear that to build a successful innovation economy, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel—we learn, optimize, build smarter and partner.
The NREN Model: A Playbook for Lebanese Innovation Hubs
A National Research and Education Network (NREN) model could transform how Lebanese universities, startups, and incubators collaborate. In global NREN models, member institutions share infrastructure, pool resources, and leverage group purchasing power, benefiting all stakeholders. A pioneering initiative to leverage is TechCARE (Technology Cooperation Agreement for Research and Education), Lebanon’s NREN, launched in 2018 with eight universities on board. By adopting this networked model, our startups can grow across borders while keeping their back-operations in Lebanon.
The Momentum of Now: Lebanon’s Future in Innovation
The window of opportunity is open—but it won’t stay open forever. Now is the time to align efforts, break silos, and build an innovation ecosystem that ensures Lebanese startups are viable globally while maintaining solid local roots. If we get this right, Lebanon won’t just be a place where great ideas are born—it will be a place where they scale, thrive, and create lasting impact. We believe in a promising economy in the hands of an inspiring and willing group of changemakers and doers. The question isn’t “Can Lebanon build a world-class innovation ecosystem?”—it’s “How fast can we act to make it happen?”
Now is the time.
Beirut, Lebanon — Lebanon’s drive for innovation was highlighted at the virtual awards ceremony for the First Track of the LIRA 17 Program, an initiative advancing R&D and bridging research with real-world solutions in Lebanon. Funded by the European Union, and in partnership with IRALEB, ANIMA, Leitat, IRI, and led by Berytech, Lebanon Innovate is transforming local research into market-ready innovations within ICT, healthcare, and agrifood. This support framework enables young professionals to commercialize their ideas, build networks, and foster IP protection, strengthening Lebanon’s role in the regional innovation ecosystem.
Eng. Ziad Shammas, Member of the Board of Trustees and Head of the Executive Board at IRALEB, opened the event by emphasizing how LIRA, even amid Lebanon’s challenging circumstances, provides invaluable resources and networks to young Lebanese innovators. Since 2016, the LIRA Forum has been highlighting new production lines and technical firms, increasing the trust of Lebanese industrialists in local engineering and science graduates while building confidence in the Lebanese industry’s potential.
Building on this strong foundation, and the result of close collaboration between Berytech and IRALEB, the LIRA Program has undergone a strategic refinement to address long-standing challenges and better align academic research with industry need. This partnership focuses on integrating best practices, global trends, and local challenges to improve the program’s impact on Lebanon’s innovation ecosystem.
This year, the program conducted roadshows and engaged institutions across Lebanon, resulting in 68 project applications. From these, 25 teams progressed to a rigorous three-day bootcamp and subsequent jury evaluation, which selected 12 projects to enter an acceleration phase led by Berytech. Of these twelve, six final projects were chosen for incubation support.
Winning Startups Transforming Science and Healthcare
Selected from a highly competitive pool, the winning startups pitched their innovative projects to an IRALEB jury, evaluated based on criteria such as innovation, feasibility, and potential impact. Each of the six startups received up to €10,000 and a six-month incubation award through Berytech. These innovative projects include a 3D vascular tissue model for improved drug testing, an ECOG device for epilepsy monitoring, and a sensor for early heart failure detection. Additional winners feature an AI-driven surface finishing device for sensors, a cost-effective bionic ankle, and robotic dental devices, each demonstrating Lebanon’s rising talent in science and healthcare.
The Incubation support offered by Berytech, will assist them in developing sustainable business plans, connecting with financing networks, and accessing the technical resources essential for market entry.
The Dual Impact of LIRA 17
This year’s LIRA program also features a second track, independently funded by IRALEB, that connects academic research with industry needs. Five additional projects in this track work directly with local companies, creating solutions that benefit Lebanon’s society and economy.
Eng. Ziad Shammas concluded the event by commending the winning teams’ creativity and resilience, adding, “The LIRA 17 Program exemplifies the commitment of Lebanon’s young innovators to drive positive change.” He congratulated the winners and highlighted IRALEB’s ongoing commitment to supporting Lebanon’s next generation of talent.
Following a comprehensive gap analysis conducted by Berytech of universities in Lebanon, it has become evident that the establishment of effective Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) is critically hindered by the absence of clear and dynamic intellectual property (IP) policies. To date, only few universities in Lebanon have established IP policies. The lack of well-defined IP frameworks not only complicates the management of innovations but also discourages researchers from pursuing commercialization efforts.
This is where the Lebanon Innovate program plays a pivotal role, as it has initiated the development of IP policies that are essential for fostering a supportive environment for TTOs. By addressing these policy gaps, Lebanon Innovate aims to create a foundation that will enhance the functionality of TTOs, ultimately facilitating the transition of academic research into market-ready products and contributing to economic growth.
Lebanon Innovate collaborated with eight universities in Lebanon to support their journey in creating or amending intellectual property (IP) policies. The universities selected for the program’s intervention included Saint Jospeh University (USJ), the Lebanese American University (LAU), Notre Dame University (NDU), Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik (USEK), Lebanese University (LU), Lebanese International University (LIU), Beirut Arab University (BAU), and University of Balamand (UoB). These universities were selected through an open call based on rigorous criteria, including the status of their current IP policy, institutional readiness and commitment, willingness to allocate resources for policy development, research and innovation capacity, and economic and social impact at both regional and local levels.
To ensure all aspects of IP policy creation were addressed, Lebanon Innovate worked with these universities across several phases. This included conducting needs assessments to address challenges specific to each institution, generating clear outcomes through one-on-one coaching with the program’s IP expert, and providing continuous follow-up for IP policy revisions and feedback. All policies were developed or amended in line with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) guidelines to maintain international standards.
One university that benefited from Lebanon Innovate’s support in adjusting its existing IP policy illustrated the positive impact on research and innovation expected from the revised IP policy: “The revised IP policy introduced clear ownership structures, fair royalty distribution models, and strong support for commercialization through a dedicated Technology Transfer Office (TTO). These changes incentivize faculty, staff, and students to innovate while also fostering entrepreneurship through better support for spin-offs and industry partnerships. This will undoubtedly pave the way for more impactful research and innovation at the university.”
Such testimonies showcase the importance of adopting IP policies not only to advance research but also to create a framework that enables a fairer distribution of ownership, ultimately strengthening trust between research and industry and creating a more positive impact.
By addressing the critical gaps in IP policies, Lebanon Innovate is laying the groundwork for a thriving research and innovation ecosystem in Lebanon. This initiative is a testament to the program’s commitment to empowering universities, fostering impactful research, and contributing to the country’s economic growth.
For nearly two decades, IRALEB’s LIRA competition has acted as a critical platform for fostering innovation by uniting Lebanese academic and industry talent to tackle real-world challenges. This year, the program saw a continued strengthening of its efforts, with valuable support from Berytech, and funding by the European Union under the Lebanon Innovate initiative. The role of Berytech in providing mentorship, resources, and a collaborative ecosystem has been crucial in accelerating the development of startups.
What stands out in this year’s edition is the focus on advancing early-stage innovations, with a clear emphasis on refining prototypes and preparing them for the next stages of development. Berytech’s involvement ensures that these startups are well-equipped to make progress and move closer to market-ready solutions through a 35-month incubation period.Here’s a look at the promising projects that are currently in development:
Pharmaduct: Improving Drug Testing
Linkedin: Malak El-Tfayli
Pharmaduct is tackling the issue of animal testing by creating lab-grown blood vessels from human cells. This model, still under development, aims to provide a more accurate and ethical alternative to traditional drug testing methods, offering researchers a better understanding of how drugs might affect human tissue.
Neurotech Solutions: Advancing Epilepsy Monitoring
Linkedin: Serena Ghieh
Neurotech Solutions is in the process of developing dissolvable ECoG devices that monitor brain activity during surgeries with minimal intrusion. These inkjet-printed sensors are designed to offer high-resolution data collection and, when fully developed, will eliminate the need for a second procedure to remove the device making it more cost effective.
IntelliMicroTex: Enhancing Manufacturing Precision
Linkedin: Christophe Abboud | Cynthia Al Labaki
IntelliMicroTex is a building device that combines ultrasonic vibration and AI technology to create precise micro-textures on surfaces. While still in the early stages, the project shows potential to address growing precision needs in the manufacturing sector.
SenseBNP: Early Detection of Heart Stress
Linkedin: Jad Daorah
SenseBNP is developing a biosensor prototype that uses a small blood sample to measure heart stress proteins. The team is focused on further testing and validation to ensure the reliability and practicality of their device for early heart failure detection.
Bionikle: Accessible Prosthetics
LinkedIn: Lea Youssef Baby | Angelo Yaghi | Fadi Kaafarani
Bionikle is creating an AI-powered prosthetic ankle designed to be both affordable and functional. The current prototype is still undergoing development and testing to improve mobility solutions for lower-limb amputees, especially in underserved communities.
iolokis: Simplifying Dental Data Management
Linkedin: IOLOKIS
iolokis is working on a unified digital platform that will help dental professionals manage and interact with patient data intuitively. Their platform, currently in the testing phase, aims to be fast, intuitive, and affordable, offering an efficient solution for dental practices.
For nearly two decades, IRALEB’s LIRA competition has acted as a critical platform for fostering innovation by uniting Lebanese academic and industry talent to tackle real-world challenges. This year, the program saw a continued strengthening of its efforts, with valuable support from Berytech, and funding by the European Union under the Lebanon Innovate initiative. The role of Berytech in providing mentorship, resources, and a collaborative ecosystem has been crucial in accelerating the development of startups.
What stands out in this year’s edition is the focus on advancing early-stage innovations, with a clear emphasis on refining prototypes and preparing them for the next stages of development. Berytech’s involvement ensures that these startups are well-equipped to make progress and move closer to market-ready solutions through a 35-month incubation period.