UNITAR Online Catalogue
RISE LAB EIL 2025: Phase Three - Igniting Youth Potential in Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon through Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Economic Resilience
Prosperity
Background
The programme on Emergency Assistance for Women and Youth in Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon: Promoting Food, Economic Security, and Peace through Entrepreneurship aims to empower youth in Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon to address food insecurity and stimulate local employment by equipping them with entrepreneurial, technical, and innovation skills. Structured in three progressive phases, it begins with a self-paced online training on entrepreneurship and food security, followed by advanced planning and project development, and culminates in an intensive bootcamp for a number of finalists to launch practical solutions. The initiative targets a total of 120,000 beneficiaries through direct training, peer exchanges, and partnerships, promoting climate-smart agribusiness practices, public-private collaboration, and sustainable livelihoods to build resilient food systems and inclusive economic growth. Phase three of the programme has been conducted in Tokyo and Hiroshima, where 36 partcipants from three countries participated.
Event Objectives
The initiative aims to enhance food security, create sustainable food systems, and generate employment by equipping young entrepreneurs with tools to launch impactful agribusiness ventures.
Learning Objectives
- Lead and manage app and technology-based ventures by applying practical leadership and execution frameworks suited to fast-growing digital startups.
- Identify, articulate, and communicate clear customer value propositions that address real user problems and differentiate their solutions in competitive markets.
- Test and validate their business models using lean experimentation, customer feedback, and data-driven decision-making to reduce risk and improve product-market fit.
- Leverage AI tools strategically to enhance product development, customer engagement, operations, and decision-making, without requiring advanced technical expertise.
- Develop realistic revenue models and manage cash flow effectively, ensuring financial sustainability and informed planning for growth.
- Design and refine startup fundraising approaches tailored to the MENA region, including identifying suitable funding sources, understanding investor expectations, and preparing compelling pitches.
- Build and manage strategic partnerships that create mutual value, expand market access, and support business scalability.
- Form and lead high-performing teams by aligning roles, fostering collaboration, and establishing accountability in resource-constrained environments.
Content and Structure
The programme has been implemented face to face and different contents on entrepreneurship, technology and AI, project management, leadership and finance have been delivered.
Methodology
Face to face including lectures and mentoring sessions.
Targeted Audience
The programme targeted 36 motivated youth aged 18–40 from Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon.
Additional Information
Delivered by UNITAR’s Division for Prosperity, the programme leverages regional and Japanese partners, and UNITAR alumni, ensuring sustainability, inclusivity, and alignment with multiple SDGs.