The Founders’ Milestone Event brought together 40 stakeholders from across Lebanon’s waste valorization ecosystem to celebrate one year of building – and to launch the next chapter. 

On Tuesday, 9 June 2026, QEEMA – Lebanon’s Waste Valorization Cluster – held its Founders’ Milestone Event at Berytech, Mar Roukoz, bringing together 40 participants including founding members, representatives from the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Industry, the National Solid Waste Management Authority, international organizations including UNIDO and UN Global Compact Network Lebanon, fellow cluster builders, and sector stakeholders. 

The evening marked the culmination of QEEMA’s first year of establishment – a year defined bystakeholder engagement, strategy co-creation, field visits,  international exposure, and the building of Lebanon’s first structured platform for the waste valorization sector. 

 “The ecosystem wins. Or no one does. QEEMA exists to build that ecosystem within the waste valorization sector – and tonight, it has the governance to do it” – Ingrid Salloum, Cluster Manager, QEEMA 

A Year Built by Thirteen 

The evening also paid tribute to QEEMA’s 13 founding members – the organizations that said yes from the very beginning, co-created the cluster’s strategy, and whose commitment over the past year made this milestone possible. From field visits to international exhibitions, from strategy workshops to nucleus meetings held across their own company locations, the founding members have been the backbone of everything QEEMA has built to date. 

Their collective decision to build together rather than alone is what distinguishes QEEMA and sets the foundation for what comes next. 

Announcement of QEEMA’s Founding Board 

The highlight of the evening was the official announcement of QEEMA’s founding board – a milestone that marks the transition from a cluster in  developmentto a cluster with formal governance. The seven founding board members, drawn from QEEMA’s founding membership, bring diverse expertise across the waste valorization value chain: 

• Chahid Chamoun — Arcenciel 
• Lara El Khoury — Berytech 
• Ziad Abichaker — Cedar Environmental 
• Marc Aoun — Compost Baladi 
• Chady Makhlouf — Gemayel Frères 
• Pietro Aoun — Holdal Group 
• Mark Khoury — Phoenix Energy — Indevco Group 

Following the announcement, the founding board members signed QEEMA’s founding charter – officially marking the establishment of the cluster’s governance structure. 

Looking Ahead: Four Priorities for Year Two 

With the founding board in place, QEEMA enters its second year with four strategic priorities: 

• Public Sector Engagement — Deepening collaboration with municipalities and advancing policy dialogue with the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Industry, and the National Solid Waste Management Authority. 

• Private Sector Activation — Expanding into new sectors including healthcare waste, construction and demolition wasteand agrifood waste, and building the evidence base for waste valorization through surveys and field studies. 

• Official Establishment – Completing QEEMA’s legal registration and finalizing its governance structures. 

• Innovation & Knowledge – Connecting operators, entrepreneurs, and researchers to build a pipeline of solutions for the waste valorization sector. 

An Open Invitation to Join 

QEEMA is now open to new members across Lebanon’s waste valorization ecosystem – from operators and investors to municipalities, researchers, and innovators. As Lebanon’s only waste valorization cluster, QEEMA offers its members access to a structured network, international exposure, capacity building, and a seat at the table in shaping the sector’s future. 

Organizations and individuals interested in joining QEEMA are invited to visit www.qeema.org or reach out directly to the cluster team. 

About QEEMA 

QEEMA – Lebanon’s Waste Valorization Cluster – was established in 2024 with the support of ACT Smart and co-funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It brings together like-minded organizations from across Lebanon’s waste valorization sector to collaborate, innovate, and build a stronger, more competitive ecosystem. QEEMA is hosted by Berytech. 

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A Pioneer That Kept Delivering 

Berytech holds a singular place in the history of the South Mediterranean innovation landscape. Being among the first incubators in the area, it created investment funds, business centers, and clusters that have helped generations of entrepreneurs, setting the benchmark for what an entrepreneurship ecosystem may look like. Even in the face of an unprecedented confluence of political instability and economic collapse, this pioneering spirit has never wavered. 
What sets Berytech apart is not only what was developed during stable times but also what was maintained throughout difficult times.  The organization’s personnel continued to work, support partners, and produce results that affected stakeholders throughout the Mediterranean during the recent circumstances. ANIMA explicitly praised this tenacity when giving the award, expressing how greatly delighted they were that Berytech’s operations continued to benefit project partners from nations throughout the region, even in the face of the most trying circumstances. 

A Partnership Built on Shared Values 

More than ten years of cooperation between Berytech and ANIMA, a partnership based on mutual trust, similar values, and a shared vision for the Mediterranean, are at the core of this honor. They have collaborated on projects aimed at bolstering networks of innovation, connecting entrepreneurs with opportunities, and bridging the gaps that frequently impede regional advancement. Real impact comes from connections between individuals, between industries, and beyond borders, as Mr. Chammas pointed out in his award speech. This idea has guided every phase of the cooperation. 

Looking Forward 

Receiving this award twice in a row is a testament to an organization’s perseverance and ability to maintain excellence. Berytech is well-positioned to continue spearheading innovation and ecosystem development throughout the Mediterranean thanks to its proven track record of resilience and strong regional collaborations. The prize is a directive to keep creating, fostering relationships, and making contributions to a region that needs precisely this kind of sustained dedication rather than a conclusion.  

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Beyond the Program 

For the clusters gathered here, representing Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco, this was the culmination of four years of work under the EuroMed Clusters Forward (ECF) program, an EU-funded initiative coordinated by ANIMA Investment Network, with Berytech as the implementing partner in Lebanon. More than fifteen cluster managers and board members, spanning sectors from agrifood and ICT to healthcare and green industries, did not arrive in Athens to receive guidance. They arrived to become leaders. 

This three-day intensive was created by Berytech as a flagship hybrid initiative that combines a masterclass, peer interaction, and strategic retreat. Greece was no random host; Athens, located in the center of the Mediterranean, provided location and resonance as a suitable setting for a program about creating networks across a shared sea. 

The Value Question 

On the first day, participants were required to examine their clusters under the eyes of their peers rather than through internal audits. The seminar encouraged cluster managers to break down what they truly give and to whom by framing it around the idea of Different Actors, Different Value. A crucial realization kept coming up: the most prosperous clusters possess a “wow factor,” a special, vital additional value. At their core, clusters act as connectors. Their role is now defined: to create meaningful linkages, unlock opportunities, and ensure that the right actors meet at the right time to generate innovation and growth. 

Mapping the Collaboration Journey 

One key concept explored was the cooperation journey, from shared goals and communication to cooperation and true collaboration. Participants highlighted that collaboration must be intentional, with clusters clearly defining stakeholder value and measuring impact to strengthen their work. The discussion showed how clusters can evolve from networks into ecosystems that co-create value and drive long-term regional impact.  

During their presence in Athens, participants took part in site visits across the city, gaining direct exposure to local innovation actors and entrepreneurial support structures. The visits offered an opportunity to observe how collaboration models are applied in practice and how ecosystem stakeholders work together to support innovation and business growth. 

Looking Ahead 

The discussions had become more focused and forward-looking by the third day. Workshop 3 transformed the group’s combined knowledge into a tangible Cluster Development Pathway for every team, based on the unique context of each cluster, enhanced by peer exchange, and shaped by global best practices. After three days of candid, high-stakes discussion, participants departed Athens not only with ideas but also with a peer network. The Academy’s primary goal was to create ties that would endure beyond the program itself; these connections were deliberate. 

A Handoff, not a Farewell 

After four years of fostering partnerships around the South Mediterranean, the EuroMed Clusters Forward project is about to begin its last phase. With this in mind, the Cluster Development Executive Academy was created as a handoff. It is anticipated that the clusters that went through Athens will return the favor by teaching the following generation, assisting clusters that are still forming inside their respective nations, and helping to create a robust South Mediterranean Cluster Network that will outlive any one initiative. They arrived in Athens after four years of hard work and education and left with stronger connections and shared experiences.

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