Tag Archives: Startup Competition

Idea Stage Workshop: Session #3

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The third workshop session was kicked off with the formulation of insights about the Reimagine Challenge theme each team was assigned. Insights have to be supported by observations and offer a glimpse into what people think or feel.

The teams were asked to develop a mind map using keywords, highlighting emphasis and categorizing ideas. The diagram is used to visually organize information by drawing the concept in the center of the page to which the associated representation of ideas, such as images and key words, are added directly connecting to the central concept with ideas branched out.

The teams proceeded to ideation, the final phase of the workshop. In this phase they were asked to chain write storm, the process of writing an idea and passing it on to the next person to build on the idea. They participated in pair brainstorming, in which teammates sit down in pairs to write ideas for several rounds until every teammate has done the exercise with the other, and finally draw storming, where they are to draw their idea.

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The workshop is the third of five weekly workshops in the series of design thinking workshops offered by SETT, part of the BDL Accelerate Idea Stage Startup competition themed Reimagining Lebanon. 24 participants were selected and assembled into 8 teams of 3 to develop a startup idea to address a problem assigned to them. The participating teams will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges in front of an audience during Banque du Liban Accelerate 2015 for the chance to win 5,000 USD.

First Idea Stage Workshop

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The session was kicked off with the selected 24 participants and an intro to design thinking and workshop immersion. The teams were each assigned a theme (Garbage Crisis, Public Transport, Unemployment, Syrian Refugees) that they will be working on for the next 5 weeks and creating a solution for.

The teams then spread out throughout the creative venue and were asked to draw their timelines as an icebreaker and team building exercise. Teams were then asked to silently “idea storm,” meaning they had 3 minutes to come up with 30+ ideas about problems regarding their theme. Each idea was written on a post it. They then mind mapped their ideas into categories and had to vote on one category to work on moving forward.

Finally they had to come up with a “How Might We” question to end the sessions. In other words, they framed their challenge using those three key words to best design creative solutions.

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Early Stage Startup Competition details announced!

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BDL Accelerate 2015 is offering an enticing and exciting opportunity for early stage startups by exclusively hosting an Early Stage Startup Competition!

The aim of the competition is to find the best startup in Lebanon’s emerging and fast growing startup scene. Banque du Liban has been supporting startups in Lebanon during the past couple of years, which in return has provided startups with a boost and made Beirut a strategic hub for startups.

The selected startups will pitch on the main stage of the conference in front of a panel of international judges. The winning startup will win a trip to participate in a top tier international startup competition in addition to a $10,000 cash prize.

The participating startups will receive regional media coverage and have the opportunity to meet with potential partners and peers. Applying startups must be in the early stage, from any field, or profit, and prepared to talk about their startup in public in English.

If your startup fits the criteria apply before November 9th and find out if you are selected to compete at BDL Accelerate 2015 on November 12th.

This is an opportunity you don’t want to miss!

To apply click here

Announcing BDL Accelerate 2015

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Following the success of Banque du Liban Accelerate 2014 in establishing Lebanon as an international startup hub, with over 1,600 entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals attending a 2-day conference featuring 53 speakers, 34 startups, 48 partners, and 72 exhibitors, the Central Bank of Lebanon (Banque du Liban / BDL) is organizing Lebanon’s second annual international startup conference – BDL Accelerate 2015 – on Thursday and Friday, the 10th and 11th of December 2015 at Forum de Beyrouth.

“Emerging Startup Ecosystems”, the theme for 2015, will gather entrepreneurs, investors, and support institutions from key emerging startup ecosystems across 5 continents. BDL Accelerate 2015 will host 3,000 attendees, 100 speakers, 100 exhibitors, and 100 startups from around the world, with 2 stages, 2 startup competitions, 2 workshop spaces, in a total conference space spanning 6,000 sqm.

Registration is free while tickets last. Register now to secure your participation in Lebanon and the Arab World’s largest and most significant startup conference.