Impact Connectors: Lebanon

Be an Impact Connector! Facilitate introductions for social enterprises

Social enterprises need networks and access to markets in order to grow their revenue streams and create more social impact.

For our investees, we have seen time and again that the right introductions at the right time can lead to incredible results, which is why we work to systematically introduce our investees to key contact and networks, based on their specific connection needs.

In 2019, we launched our Impact Connectors initiative with the aim of introducing our investees to the right networks and markets they need to grow their enterprises. At bi-annual meetings, we invite our investees to pitch their organisations to a select group of high-profile, influential individuals, and to discuss and identify ways in which they can support with a pre-circulated list of connection needs.

If you have any suggestions or contacts that you believe could benefit social enterprises in Lebanon and you wish to be an Impact Connector, please contact: [email protected].uk

See below a list of specific investee connection needs:

	ProAbled (ShareQ) Platform to Support the Employment of Persons with Disabilities HR departments of corporate institutions in Lebanon and GCC to providing training and consultancy on "inclusive recruitment of persons with disabilities" by ProAbled Academy Architects consulting on buildings and office accessibility Training on Work Readiness for persons with disabilities and financial challenges

	Hum'n Go (ShareQ) A Healthy, On-the-Go Hummus Snack with a Positive Social Impact Chilled food importers, distributors or retailers for Hum’n Go snack Airline management or procurement departments for Hum’n Go snack

	MMKN Making a Brighter Future Possible for Youth Publishing / printing companies in Lebanon to get a discount on printing their tutoring books and nutrition books Sponsors for their tutoring books and nutrition book Local education organizations that need Grade 8 and Grade 9 student manuals (English + Arabic notions)

	Ana Aqra Association Improving Learning Outcomes in Public Schools Local or international Arabic schools who might be interested in buying their Arabic education toolkit and in teacher training, especially considering their expertise in inclusivity and psychosocial training with refugees and vulnerable students

	SE Factory Bringing Opportunity to Lebanese Youth Through Coding Training Local and international companies who would be interested in recruiting qualified full-time developers, or short-term freelance programmers Local and international companies who would be interested in outsourcing software development or coding work to Lebanon under a managed service contract Local universities and NGOs that can provide support in outreach and recruitment of youth/students and space for trainings in Lebanon Regional, international high schools, universities, NGOs, start-up hubs and accelerators interested in partnering with SE Factory to provide online coding instruction for their youth or community members

	FabricAID Providing Access to Quality Clothing and Tackling Lebanon's Landfill Crisis Municipalities and NGOs interested to partner on collecting clothes Clothing retailers and brands with unsold stock Media outlets and influencers to raise awareness on the need to help reduce fabric waste and to give visibility to FabricAID Large corporates that may be interested in hosting a clothing collection bin at their premises

	B.O.T Building Digital Capacities and Creating Employment Opportunities for Youth Introduction to research consultants or institutes to create partnership models whereby B.O.T provides the Data Collection part of the research Procurement expert to support in identifying key access points to large-scale organisations and companies (incl. Tenders, RFPs, Call for Proposals, Supplier Database, etc.) Decision makers in the banking sector to promote scanning and archiving services AI Training Data Expert to support in improving and promoting B.O.T’s AI Platform M.E.A.L Experts who can help assess and develop the NGO service offering

	Natakallam High-quality and curated language-learning, cultural exchange, and translation services, delivered virtually by refugees and host community members to individuals and organizations worldwide. Clients (individuals, organizations, corporates) in need of language learning and/or translation services Academic institutions looking to provide Arabic and cultural exchange programming in a formal, informal or extracurricular format Experts in tech willing to help with our platform development Press contacts looking to highlight our work

	Studio Shatila Empowering Syrian and Palestinian Refugees in the Shatila Camp International designers to collaborate with Shatila Studio Designers / fashion brands / Wedding and party organisers / Marketing managers of international companies who need hand embroidery or products Boutique owners or department chains interested in stocking Studio Shatila products Professionals who can provide training around sewing techniques, or other skills such as language, IT or business skills

	INAASH Promoting Palestinian Heritage and Providing Dignified Employment For Refugee Women Concept Stores/Galleries such as Urbanist – Dubai Boutiques such as Boom & Mellow Online luxury products/Fashion retailers such as The Modest Designers who would be interested in launching products with Inaash embroidery

	Creative Space Beirut International fashion schools for exchange and collaboration with CSB School of Design Fashion houses to host interns for CSB School of Design alumni and fresh graduates Fashion industry experts and embroidery/couture factories to host training-of-trainer workshops for CSB staff and fashion school alumni Visiting fashion designers/experts/professors to teach workshops at CSB School of Design in Beirut Lebanese diaspora to fund scholarships for CSB School of Design students International celebrities as brand ambassadors for CSB brands Fashion exhibitions and pop ups abroad Boutiques interested in carrying CSB brands wholesale Digital marketing experts to help promote CSB’s online shop csb-shop.com

	WPA Soufra/Nawras Preschool Creating Economic Opportunity for Female Refugees Event organisers or clients who wish to use Soufra catering or foodtruck in Beirut Donors to give scholarships to students of Nawras pre-school

	Tripoli Entrepreneurs Club Mentors for start-ups supported by TEC, especially in business planning, prototyping, pitching, and management support High-tech businesses and SMEs offering jobs, internships and/or freelance opportunities for trained youth Sponsors and exhibitors for TEC’s annual Tripoli Start-up Forum Universities in North Lebanon for collaboration in establishing youth entrepreneurship clubs Innovation experts to share best practices on input and output metrics for measuring innovation at the strategic and operational levels

	Lebanese Alternative Learning (Tabshoura) Providing a Digital Curriculum to Support the Education of Underprivileged Students Local and international organisations interested in digitising their own curriculum Organisations that work with CBOs and refugee camps Local hardware resellers to facilitate buying Raspberry pi or similar hardware