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 The original date was set for April 27, 2007. Due to the prevailing situation, H.E. Minister Marwan Hamadeh was unable to make it for the inauguration of Berytech MAP Training center which was set to take place under his auspices.
Some one and a half year later, Mr. Hamadeh finally indulged in the ribbon-cutting ceremony in the presence of Berytech’s President Mr. Maroun Chammas and the Rector of Saint-Joseph University (USJ), Father René Chamussy as well as a crowd of entrepreneurs, friends and members of the press.
“This training center is a strategic tool within Berytech’s mission and scope of work. We are happy to report that since April 2007, and through this very room, hundreds of individuals were trained and dozens of entrepreneurs, pursuing entrepreneurship excellence, graduated” declared Mr. Chammas in a small informal speech.
He then shared few highlights of Berytech’s history: Lebanon’s pioneering incubation and business development center, it has, since inception actively promoted, created and developed more than 70 start-ups and assisted in creating over 250 jobs. More then 100 medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were supported also through training, coaching and hosting. This led Berytech to expand from one center to two while receiving recognition from the European Union. Recently the Berytech Fund, a 6M USD startup fund was launched to complement its offering to startups and SMEs with equity financing.
“These have been challenging years, and there will be more difficulties ahead. But I am very optimistic about the future this institution as well as this country, said Mr. Chammas. Our entrepreneurs are incredibly talented, resourceful and deeply committed to the economic growth of Lebanon”. Mr. Hamadeh declared:” This center is but one of the numerous achievements of Saint Joseph University and Berytech, and I am proud to have been connected to it, despite this intermission”.
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