Terms of Reference 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.

ACIE is implementing an incubation program to empower tech-oriented startups in the prototype stage North Mount Lebanese region, under the PowerUp program. 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

PowerUp is a six-month adapted incubation program that offers 18 tech-orientated startups the resources to launch their businesses. It includes a boot camp, biweekly individual and group coaching, technical assistance voucher, mentor match-up, and a cash grant of up to $2000 to turn their prototypes into a ready-to-market product. Plus, there are more than 600 tech perks to choose from.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

The Powerup program will start with an intensive boot camp. It will then be divided into six categories: bi-weekly individual coaching sessions, monthly group training events, vouchers for technical assistance, regular team huddles, and the disbursement of grants to support participants’ projects.

• Bootcamp (First week of October) will follow the format of a 3-day on-site training with side activities to equip the entrepreneurs with the knowledge in order to turn low-fidelity prototypes into ready-to-market products.

• Individual coaching (Throughout the Program) will occur on a bi-weekly basis, with sessions ranging from 45 minutes to 1 hour each, following a specific report to track the progress and challenges of the startup.

• Group training (Monthly basis) will include all startups in the cohort.

• Technical Assistance (Twice) will be specific to the specific needs, especially in terms of product development and technicalities based on the coach’s and the startup’s needs assessment.

• Grant Disbursement: Every startup in the cohort will benefit from $2,000 to turn their prototype into an MVP and build their brand.

• Startup Huddle: Team building and growth by allowing entrepreneurs to present their startups and receive peer feedback, support, and networking opportunities.

• Free Digital Perks for Startups: Additional benefits or advantages are provided, such as 600+ tech perks like AWS Web Hosting, Asana, Google Workspace, Github, Slack, cloud credits, and development tools, to support your startup’s growth. (2.5 Billion $ value in Perks)

SERVICE PROVIDER RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE OF WORK

For the bootcamp phase, our selected service provider will play an important role in nurturing the selected startups. Key responsibilities include conducting a comprehensive three-hour workshop on Product Development and Testing.

Product Development and Testing

Objective:

Focusing on the product development lifecycle, this workshop guides startups through designing, prototyping, and testing their product. With tools like wireframing and prototyping software, participants will build and iterate on their MVP based on user feedback.

Outline:

1. Product Development Lifecycle
2. Tools and techniques for rapid prototyping
3. User-centric design principles
4. Testing and Validation
5. Gathering and Implementing Feedback
6. Methods for collecting user feedback
7. Quality Assurance
8. Practical Exercises

Deliverables of startups:

Consequently to the workshop, the startups will be able to work and form a Testing plan, a Quality Assurance Plan, a Feedback Documentation Template as well as a Product Iteration Plan.

The workshop is on 5/10/2024 for 3 hours.

Please note that the application deadline is in the first week of September 2024.

More information about the program and the eligibility criteria of the applicants 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, to provide insight into the unique issues that these companies may encounter.

• The applicant should have significant knowledge and expertise in Product Development.
• The applicant should have prior experience conducting seminars, 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:

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

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

3. 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.

• HOW TO APPLY
  

Submit your proposals & resume here. 

Should you have any questions, kindly email us at [email protected] and CC [email protected] and [email protected] with the subject “CALL FOR TRAINERS INQUIRY – PowerUP” 

Good luck!