Because numerous obstacles remain for women entrepreneurs in Lebanon, the Francophone Female Entrepreneur (FFE) competition stands out as one of the rare events promoting business development and female entrepreneurship both in the country and the region. Initially scheduled for October 2024, this thirteenth edition, postponed due to last fall's conflict in Lebanon, finally announced its verdict on Thursday.  Organized by the Middle East branch of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) in Lebanon, the Lebanese incubator Berytech, and L’Orient-Le Jour, the competition rewarded three Lebanese startups and one from the Emirates. The winners share 30,000 euros in funding, in addition to gaining access to training and a six-month coaching program offered by Berytech. This year's jury members were Maya Rahal, director of Alfanar Venture Philanthropy in Lebanon; Mohammad Rabah, CEO of ZRE, specializing in real estate development; and Elsa Charabati, journalist and entrepreneur.  Despite obstacles and everyday challenges such as gender stereotypes and sexism in sectors often perceived as male-dominated, these entrepreneurs have chosen to pursue their careers against an uncertain horizon in Lebanon and the region. As Jean-Noël Baléo, regional director of AUF Middle East, stated: "We must combine solution and talent to climb back up (in Lebanon, NDLR). Feminization is the right solution."  Out of the hundred applications received following the call for entries launched last April, 30 were selected for the next phase, with over 40 hours of training and support over six months at Berytech. Ultimately, ten projects, including seven local and three regional ones, were selected. Lebanese entrepreneurs Emma Sleiman (Cogny), Raya Bekhazi (Kids Baking Box), Haya Hamed (Pharma Organic) and Yara Abou Dalha (Nomad) won the final held Thursday at the Francophone Employability Center (CEF) in Beirut's Digital District (BDD).  With Cogny, an innovative "health-tech" startup, Emma Sleiman won the FFE contest and 10,000 euros. Cogny stems from a particularly promising premise in the world of cognitive sciences: It is a virtual reality software designed as a clinical tool to diagnose cognitive conditions in children, offering a precise and immersive assessment tailored to healthcare professionals' needs.  The second winner, who received 7,000 euros, is Raya Bekhazi, founder of Kids Baking Box, a project born in Lebanon and recently expanded to the United Arab Emirates. A pastry chef who graduated from the Lebanese Culinary Institute Cordon Bleu, Bekhazi launched Kids Baking Box following the explosion at the Beirut port on Aug. 4, 2020.  With 5,000 euros at stake, the third place was won by Haya Hamed, head of Pharma Organic. In a world saturated with chemical products, the company stands out with fully organic products where science and nature go hand in hand.  For the second consecutive year, the 2024 edition of FFE opened its applications to the other 17 member countries of the AUF in the Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Palestine,  Pakistan, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen.  And it is the Lebanese Yara Abou Dalha, founder of Nomad Workshops in the United Arab Emirates, who secured the last portion of the planned funding, amounting to 8,000 euros. This startup offers a series of fun and original workshops aimed at expatriates to enhance their mental well-being by encouraging social interactions.  (ICE BEIRUT)

Fonte notizia: L'Orient Today