Terms of Reference Concept Initiation Trainer

The Asher Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ACIE) at USEK is an incubator, established in 2017 located at USEK, that empowers youth and Lebanese individuals, by providing expertise and knowledge to stimulate new ventures in Lebanon all while connecting them with like-minded people.

Berytech has partnered up with the ACIE to bring to life phase I of the ACT Smart Innovation Hub in the North Mount Lebanese region, under the name of IdeaLab. 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Co-funded by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Lebanon and operating under the Berytech umbrella, the ACT Smart Innovation Hub is a groundbreaking initiative. Our primary aim is to showcase how innovation and technology can transform socio-economic and livelihood challenges in the agrifoodtech and cleantech sectors into promising opportunities. Our strategy focuses on job creation and the empowerment of entrepreneurs, all while nurturing a sustainable economy.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

In the initial phase of the program, we will support 12 innovative startups with a $1,500 grant dedicated to prototyping their ideas. These startups will also benefit from a 10-week validation program and personalized one-on-one clinics designed to enhance their business acumen and skills in critical areas, including:

• Concept Initiation
• Market Validation
• Business Model Canvas
• Prototype Development
• Pitching

SERVICE PROVIDER RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE OF WORK

Our selected service provider will play an important role in nurturing these 12 selected startups. Key responsibilities include conducting a comprehensive physical four-hour workshop on Concept Initiation, as well as delivering a total of twelve online one-on-one clinics. During these one-hour clinics, the service provider will closely monitor the progress of the startups and provide written reports to the ACIE.

The selected service provider will:

4 hours Concept Initiation Workshop

1. Customer Discovery Fundamentals

• Introduction to the Customer Discovery Process and its role in venture creation.
• Understanding pain points, assumptions, Jobs-to-be-Done, pains, and gains as key elements in identifying customer needs.

2. Problem Tree Analysis

• Using the Problem Tree framework to identify root causes, symptoms, and effects of a problem.
• Differentiating between symptoms and core issues to ensure startups focus on addressing fundamental problems.
• Refining the problem statement to guide solution development.

3. Customer Personas and Segmentation

• Defining a customer persona: key characteristics, behaviors, and motivations.
• Creating a Customer Persona Profile, including demographic, psychographic, and behavioral traits.
• Methods to identify, categorize, and segment different customer types.

4. Solution Architecture and Value Proposition

• Structuring a Solution Architecture to align with customer needs and expectations.
• Mapping out components, processes, and value delivery mechanisms of the proposed solution.
• Understanding how the value proposition fits within the broader business model.

5. Customer Discovery as an Iterative Process

• Emphasizing that customer discovery and experimentation are continuous, iterative, and non-linear processes.
• The importance of adapting insights before moving forward with product development.

6. Validating Key Assumptions and Experimentation

• Defining what needs validation and identifying risky assumptions in a startup’s hypothesis.
• Understanding different validation techniques, including qualitative methods such as customer interviews and validation sessions.

7. Effective Customer Interviews & Question Formulation

• How to conduct insightful customer interviews that yield actionable insights.
• Best practices for formulating unbiased, open-ended questions to extract meaningful data.
• Tips on avoiding common pitfalls, such as leading questions and confirmation bias.

12 Post-Workshop Clinics (1 hour each)

1. Problem Tree

• Identify core issues, root causes, and effects using the Problem Tree framework.

2. Solution Architecture

• Mapping out the components, processes, and value delivery mechanisms of the proposed solution.

3. Customer Persona

• Creating a Customer Persona Profile, including demographic, psychographic, and behavioral traits.

4. Value Proposition Canvas

• Refining the Value Proposition Canvas, ensuring alignment between customer pains, gains, and jobs-to-be-done with the startup’s solution.

Timeline & Application Deadline

• Workshop Date: 13 September 2025
• Completion of Services: 30 September 2025
• Application Deadline for ToR: 31 Aug 2025

More information about the program is available on our website.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Applications to this proposal can be from independent trainers/consultants or a legal entity, from Lebanon.
• The applicant should have at least 3 years of previous experience working with startups, ideally in the agritech and cleantech sectors, to provide insight into the unique issues that these companies may encounter.

• The applicant should have significant knowledge and expertise in concept initiation, particularly in the agritech and cleantech industries.
• The applicant should have hands-on expertise in the agritech and cleantech sectors, as well as an understanding of trends, regulations, and obstacles. This will enable them to provide startups with pertinent and up-to-date information.
• The applicant should have prior experience conducting seminars and clinics, as well as the ability to convey complicated ideas clearly and concisely. They must be able to modify their instructional approach to meet the requirements of the startup participants.
• The applicant should have an entrepreneurial mentality and be familiar with the obstacles and possibilities that come with starting a business.
• The applicant must be a strong speaker. They should be able to provide constructive and supportive comments, as well as successfully lead group talks.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The service provider will be selected based on:

• The proposal suggested and fit for the program’s objective.

• Their bio, proven track records, and experience in the field required.

1. Financial Proposal: The financial proposal should include the following information:

• Quotation number (ex: Quotation #34)
• Date

• From: Your First & Last Name
• Your email
• Your Phone Number
• Your Address 

• • To: Holy Spirit University of Kaslik
  • USEK Address: PO Box 446 Jounieh, Mount Lebanon 
  • USEK Tel: (+961) 9 600 000
  • USEK’s MOF: 188165
  • Your MoF (If Applicable) 

• The proposal should also include a lump sum fee for the workshop and an hourly fee for the one-on-one sessions.
• Signed Agreement: All proposals must be signed to indicate acceptance of the terms outlined in this document.

HOW TO APPLY

Submit your proposals & resume here. 

Should you have any questions, kindly email us on redahelbawi@usek.edu.lb with the subject “CALL FOR TRAINERS INQUIRY – IdeaLab” 

Good luck!