LEBANON – Eight entities supporting entrepreneurship in Lebanon have officially launched the Lebanese Entrepreneurship and Acceleration Network (LEAN), a national alliance aimed at improving coordination across the startup ecosystem and supporting businesses from early-stage development to international expansion.
The network was launched on October 30, 2026, at Beirut Digital District (BDD), under the patronage of the Ministry of Technology. Its eight registered founding entities are Berytech, Beirut Digital District, Endeavor Lebanon, SmartESA, Zein AUB Innovation Park, ACIE-USEK, LAU Engine and BIAT.
LEAN brings together organizations with different areas of expertise to address fragmentation in startup support, facilitate access to resources and financing, and strengthen Lebanon’s position as a regional hub for innovation.
The initiative follows three years of collaboration among the participating organizations, which worked to establish a common framework despite economic challenges, regional instability and operational disruptions.
Government Support and Legislative Reform
Speaking at the launch, Minister of Technology Kamal Shehadi reaffirmed the government's commitment to supporting entrepreneurs through policy development, legislative reform and improved access to financing.
“We want, as a ministry, to be part of this ecosystem, to advocate for you within government circles, and to communicate your concerns, proposals, ideas and ambitions,” Shehadi said.
He highlighted the importance of reforming commercial legislation and bankruptcy laws to create a more supportive environment for entrepreneurs.
Shehadi also referred to initiatives aimed at expanding access to capital, including the Lebanese Angel / Pesto Network, which is approaching its first funding close, and a planned Fund of Funds. He noted ongoing engagement with international financial institutions, including the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
The minister further highlighted the government's recent approval of the electronic signature decree, which is expected to enable the digitalization of more than 3,000 government procedures and create opportunities for technology-driven solutions.
A Coordinated Approach to Startup Development
Dr. Yousif Asfour, Chief Innovation and Transformation Officer at the American University of Beirut (AUB), stressed that stronger collaboration among entrepreneurship support organizations is essential to achieving a greater national impact.
He said LEAN was not intended to create competition or duplicate existing initiatives, but to bring together the expertise, networks and capabilities of its participating organizations.
“The whole is much more than the sum of its parts,” Asfour said, emphasizing the value of collective action in strengthening the country's entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Maha Zouwayhed, Director of Zein AUB Innovation Park and Director of Digital Accessibility at AUB, explained that the network would provide a common framework while preserving the identity and specialized role of each participating organization.
She said LEAN aims to address gaps in startup support by creating more connected pathways for entrepreneurs as they move between incubation, acceleration and international expansion.
“LEAN, as an umbrella for all incubators and accelerators, does not eliminate the individual identities of its members. These distinct identities are precisely what we need within this alliance,” Zouwayhed said.
Three Priorities and a Shared Governance Framework
LEAN's work will focus on three main priorities: raising national awareness of entrepreneurship opportunities, facilitating startup growth through improved coordination and referrals between organizations, and strengthening collective representation to improve access to international financing and global markets.
The network will operate under a governance framework that includes rotating executive leadership every two years and equal voting rights for each founding entity. It also plans to establish a national digital data hub to facilitate information-sharing, monitor performance and provide access to opportunities across the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The launch concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalizing the participating entities' commitment to the alliance and its shared objectives.
Through LEAN, the participating organizations seek to strengthen cooperation between entrepreneurship support institutions and public authorities, improve the support available to startups, and create better conditions for Lebanese businesses to grow and compete in international markets.
