5th EcoSwitch Festival
The annual festival for Lebanese green enterprises 🙂
Event, Networking, & Live Music
November 25, 2026
11:30am – 6:15pm at BDD 1280
Concert at 6:15pm at BDD 1075 Rooftop (5th Floor)
This year, the EcoSwitch Festival is part of the Global Entrepreneurship Week Lebanon 2026!
Why this Festival?
The EcoSwitch Coalition has been formed in 2020 to strengthen the support to green entrepreneurs in the country, with the aim of collectively empowering eco-entrepreneurs to develop innovative eco-friendly ideas, products & services, establish themselves, and thrive in the long-term.
This Festival brings together sustainable entrepreneurs in Lebanon and connects them to our network of EcoSwitch Coalition partners and experts. We aim to inspire them, transfer knowledge in engaging panels & activities, and provide a space for networking & collaboration with like-minded eco-oriented entrepreneurs… while having a bit of fun along the way!
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11:30am: Registrations
Upcycled Tote Bags offered by:
Eco-friendly Name Tags by:
12:00pm: Welcome Notes from the EcoSwitch Coalition Partners
EcoSwitch Coalition Partners
EcoSwitch Coalition Partners
Chair of the EcoSwitch Coalition
Samar Dani
Chair of the EcoSwitch Coalition &
Executive Director of INJAZ Lebanon
Samar Dani
Samar Dani has served as the Executive Director of INJAZ Lebanon since 2017. Under her leadership, the organization has undergone a transformative evolution—expanding beyond traditional school-based programming, cultivating strategic partnerships, and reaching underserved youth across Lebanon. Throughout years of economic, political, and security instability, Samar has steadfastly guided INJAZ Lebanon with a commitment to organizational resilience, program excellence, and meaningful impact for young people.
At the core of her work is a passion for program design and innovation. Samar is dedicated to crafting dynamic, practical learning experiences tailored to the evolving needs of today’s youth. She actively champions digital learning initiatives, champions emerging technologies, and adapts global best practices from across the JA network and beyond to drive local relevance and success.
An agricultural engineer by training and a graduate of the American University of Beirut, Samar began her career in the private sector with leadership roles across management, retail, and marketing. This background infuses her work with strategic vision, pragmatic problem-solving, and creative leadership. She remains deeply motivated by empowering youth to build brighter, more prosperous futures.12:10pm: Unleashing the Market: How Lebanese Enterprises can scale up Lebanon’s circular economy
Key Note Speech from Antoine Kallab
Advisor to the Minister of Industry, and
University Instructor
Antoine Kallab
Antoine Kallab is Advisor to the Minister at Lebanon’s Ministry of Industry, where he leads the ministry’s circular economy agenda — designing the policy frameworks, financing mechanisms, and market structures needed to build a circular industrial sector in Lebanon. His portfolio touches upon Extended Producer Responsibility, industrial policy reform, secondary raw material markets, post-war rubble recycling and building the foundations that allow circular enterprises to emerge, formalize, and scale. He teaches the graduate course Environmental Policy & Strategy at the American University of Beirut, and previously served as Associate Director of the AUB Nature Conservation Center and coordinator of the Beirut Urban Observatory at the Beirut Urban Lab. Trained as an architect and urban economist, he holds an MSc in Urban Economic Development from UCL and graduate degrees in public administration and geopolitics from Paris. His work sits at the intersection of industrial policy, market development, and institutional reform, with past experience spanning Lebanon, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
12:20pm: Welcome Notes from our supporting Partners
S.E.M Levon Amirjanyan
S.E.M Levon Amirjanyan Représentant de l’OIF pour le Moyen-Orient, basé à Beyrouth.
Diplômé en droit de l’Université d’État d’Erevan et en administration publique de l’École d’administration publique de la République d’Arménie, il a occupé, depuis 1998, plusieurs fonctions au sein de l’administration centrale du ministère des Affaires étrangères arménien, ainsi qu’à la Représentation permanente de l’Arménie auprès du Conseil de l’Europe à Strasbourg et à l’Ambassade d’Arménie en France, avant de rejoindre l’Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) en 2023.
L’OIF rassemble 90 États et gouvernements sur les cinq continents, et mène des actions politiques et de coopération autour de plusieurs priorités : la promotion de la langue française et de la diversité culturelle et linguistique ; la paix, la démocratie et les droits de l’Homme ; l’éducation et la formation ; ainsi que le développement durable et la coopération économique. L’égalité entre les femmes et les hommes, la jeunesse et l’inclusion numérique constituent également des enjeux transversaux de son action.
La Représentation de l’OIF pour le Moyen-Orient contribue à la mise en œuvre des actions et programmes de l’OIF dans la région, notamment au Liban, en Égypte, au Qatar et aux Émirats arabes unis.
Jennifer Nammoura
Project Coordinator at INJAZ Lebanon
Representing SPEEDUP Project in Lebanon as part of the EU Interreg NEXT MED Programme
EU-MED Hubs to Accelerate SMEs Sustainable & Competitive Growth
Jennifer Nammoura
Jennifer Nammoura Representing SPEEDUP Project in Lebanon as part of the EU Interreg NEXT MED Programme.
12:30pm: Thematic Corners
Select 3 out of 4 topics of interest to you:
Standards That Open Doors
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Expert
Gloria Jabbour
Head of Quality and Food Safety Department & National Trade Help Desk Coordinator at CCIAZ
Gloria Jabbour
Gloria Hanna Jabbour is Head of the Quality and Food Safety Department and National Trade Help Desk Coordinator at the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Zahle and Bekaa (CCIAZ).
She holds a Master’s degree in Plant Biotechnology from USEK, with her thesis completed in Belgium on GMO detection in rapeseed.
Her experience includes establishing food safety systems at Caritas and overseeing fresh produce export quality at Fresh World International. She joined CCIAZ in 2011 and has led its Quality and Food Safety Department since 2017, managing the Chamber’s ISO 9001:2015 system and overseeing the laboratory’s ISO 17025:2017 accreditation system. She also supports industries in implementing quality and food safety standards and delivers training programs.
Since July 2025, she has served as National Trade Help Desk Coordinator, overseeing its activities and services supporting MSMEs in Bekaa and Baalback—El Hermel. Her work includes coordinating workshops and awareness sessions and providing tailored one-to-one consultations on export procedures, regulatory compliance, market access, and export readiness.
Her work aims to promote a culture of quality and food safety, strengthen businesses’ capacity to access markets, and contribute to the sustainable industrial development of the Bekaa region.Sandy Fahed
Sandy Fahed is a Principal at Beyond Group, where she focuses on the innovation and design of public services. She is a seasoned project manager with extensive experience leading large-scale consulting projects for various government entities and international agencies across the GCC, MENA region, and beyond.
Sandy leads expert teams working on a variety of topics, enabling her to manage complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with the World Bank and United Nations agencies, designing capacity-building programs for the public and private sectors, leading change management and stakeholder engagement processes, and conducting advanced research projects aimed at fostering meaningful public sector policy change.
Her expertise extends to assisting governments in developing entrepreneurship ecosystems and SME development by ensuring appropriate policy frameworks and public services that meet the needs of startups and enterprises.
Before joining Beyond Group, Sandy worked in organizational human resources management with several organizations and businesses, holding key roles where she focused on human systems and talent development.
Sandy holds an MSc in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from the University of Sussex, UK, where she was awarded the prestigious Chevening Scholarship for 2018/19. She also holds a BBA in Human Resources Management from Haigazian University, Beirut.Roula Sayegh Ghanem
Roula Sayegh is the Founder of Natura Spoon, a Lebanese baby-food company dedicated to producing safe, nutritious, and naturally made food for babies and young children.
As founder, Roula has led Natura Spoon from its beginnings into an established food-manufacturing business, building the company’s product portfolio, operations, quality systems, and commercial strategy. She has guided the business through Lebanon’s challenging economic environment while maintaining a strong focus on food safety, product quality, innovation, and sustainable growth.
Her vision is to transform Natura Spoon from a Lebanese food brand into a trusted regional and international baby-food company, demonstrating that Lebanese businesses can innovate, scale, and compete in global markets while creating meaningful local impact.
Know Your Legal Ground
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Dolly Choucair
Dolly Choucair is a seasoned attorney, legal consultant, and social policy reformer with more than 18 years of experience in business and corporate law, governance, and cross-border transactions. She is the Head of the Aviation Practice Group and a Senior Associate in the Corporate & M&A Practice Group at Alem, where she advises businesses and organizations on complex legal and governance matters.
Dolly has played a significant role in advancing Lebanon’s social entrepreneurship and civil society ecosystem. She has advised and co-founded more than 30 NGOs, supporting their legal structuring, governance, capacity building, and long-term sustainability. She has also been closely involved in policy development and legal advocacy related to social entrepreneurship and the emerging social enterprise framework in Lebanon.
A member of the Beirut Bar Association and a U.S. Department of State alumna, Dolly serves as a board member and/or advisor to several local and international NGOs. She is also an experienced mentor, trainer, speaker, and lecturer, supporting entrepreneurs, emerging leaders, and civil society organizations across Lebanon, the MENA region and internationally.
Her work sits at the intersection of law, entrepreneurship, social impact and policy, with a particular focus on creating enabling environments for organizations and entrepreneurs to generate sustainable social and economic impact.
Moderator
Maya Wakim
Maya Wakim
With over 9 years of experience across social and environmental impact, entrepreneurship, and systems change in Lebanon and the MENA region, I have worked with purpose-driven enterprises, organizations, international donors, and local partners to turn ideas into meaningful, sustainable impact.
I have led and supported large-scale programs, facilitated $1.4M in cash grants, and contributed to supporting more than 100 social and environmental enterprises and organizations. My work spans strategy, governance, partnerships, and organizational growth, particularly in complex and fragile contexts within the impact ecosystem.
With a background in media and communication, I bring together storytelling, strategy, and execution, especially in the form of facilitated discussions. Through the power of conversations, we can all work together to help solve some of our most pressing challenges.
Governance Built to Last
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Lama Makarem
Lama Makarem has 20 years of experience in banking, risk management and strategy & management consulting in Lebanon and the GCC, focusing most recent years on supporting social enterprises, scaleups, SMEs and boards on transformation journey.
– Lead advisor with CSTouch (July 2023-Present) supporting social enterprises, startups, NGOs and SMEs in Lebanon and MENA countries on their transformation, strategic positioning, scale-up, investment readiness and fundraising journeys.
– Investment advisor & mentor to scaleups and startups in leading MENA accelerators and SME support programs (Diaspora for Lebanon MSME program with LIFE, YELA program with Alfanar, NABAD and Tabadol with makesense, StartMashreq with Flat6labs, FANTASMEEM with Goethe nstitute, Co-workup and MSEC-GIZ Startup Expert with Anima Investment Network).
– Advisor to the Board of several institutions including PEnG, ALLO Transport & GreenWheels Africa. Board Member of OK Distribution and The Volunteer Circle. Member of the Audit and Risk Committee of the ICC Group.
– Lecturer to entrepreneurs and executives on various strategy and investment topics (transformation plans, investment readiness, valuation, governance, access to capital, term sheet negotiation…).
– Investment specialist at Berytech for the USAID-funded WE4F Program in MENA targeting 35 innovative SMEs (2022-2023), providing investment readiness support on financial model development, data room preparation and fundraising.
– Head of financial Risks at Bank Audi, Beirut, Secretary of the Board Group Risk Committee (2015-2022). Monitored the Bank’s financial position, designed stress test scenarios, formulated risk strategy and appetite, and developed recovery plans.
– Consultant with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in Dubai, member of the Financial Services Practice group (2012-2015) working across private and public sector institutions. Lecturer on Risk in Financial Services at Ecole Supérieure des Affaires – ESA (2014-2017) giving a series of 2-day courses to prepare bankers/ risk professionals for CISI’s exam required by the Central Bank.
– BA in Economics from the American University of Beirut (2007) and MBA from London Business School (2013).
– CFA charterholder (2013) and the holder of the FRM (Financial Risk Manager) certification (2010)Talar Kokjian
Talar Kokjian is a Project Manager at Cewas, where she focuses on advancing sustainability, circular economy solutions, and innovation in the water and sanitation sector. She has over nine years of experience spanning marketing, communications, and fundraising, complemented by specialized knowledge in municipal solid waste management and the green economy.
Throughout her career, Talar has led the design and implementation of initiatives that translate circular economy principles into practical, on-the-ground impact. She currently manages a portfolio of water and sanitation projects throughout the Middle East, working at the intersection of public institutions, green entrepreneurs, and international partners.
Her expertise extends to building enabling ecosystems for sustainable enterprise, fostering partnerships with green entrepreneurs, supporting innovation in water and sanitation, and contributing to the development of the wider sustainability sector.
Talar is currently pursuing an MBA in Leadership and Sustainability, building on her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.Omar Itani
Omar‘s journey in entrepreneurship started at a young age when as a high school student he started his own waste management student company with friends called Visio. It was then that he discovered the importance and efficiency of social enterprises and the power of youth and civic engagement, capable of solving social and environmental problems. Itani is the winner of numerous competitions including the prestigious Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC) in 2018 which helped develop FabricAID into the scale and shape it occupies today. He won the Denis Pietton Award by the French Institute in 2018 as the most distinguished young social entrepreneur from the Arab World and was awarded Young Champion of the Earth for West Asia in 2019 by the United Nations for his work in fabric waste reduction – the highest award given by the UN for individuals under the age of 30. Business savvy and social by nature, Itani has succeeded in growing FabricAID from a seed idea into a full-blown company, putting his problem-solving skills to good use. Previously, Omar Itani studied industrial engineering and engineering management at the Beirut Arab University with a minor in economics. He represented Lebanon at Georgetown University in the United States in an intensive exchange program funded by the US Department of State. He also worked as a Researcher at ARA Research and Consultancy in 2016 and as a Development Manager with ISIC Lebanon from 2013 until 2017 alongside his university studies.
When Plans Change
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Marwa Abou Dayya
Marwa Abou Dayya is Senior Partner at Beyond Group, where she leads public sector development and reform delivery across the Levant and North Africa region and international contexts spanning multiple continents.
She advises governments, public institutions, UN agencies, development banks, and international donors on governance, institutional capacity, and programme design across different sectors including but not limited to social development, economic development, and culture and tourism. Her work focuses on public systems operating in fragile and transition contexts, where effective delivery depends on clear mandates, institutional readiness, and stakeholder alignment.
Marwa built her practice through system-level advisory work, capacity development, and government-funded programmes focused on policy reform, civic engagement, and local development systems. As Senior Partner, she leads multidisciplinary teams on complex public sector assignments, supporting clients to move from policy direction to workable reform architecture.
She holds a master’s degree and bachelor’s degree in public administration, with executive education in democratic governance.
Beyond her advisory work, Marwa has taught Public Administration, reflecting her interest in connecting public policy theory with the practical realities of reform.Ounsi El Daif
Ounsi is a Physicist who completed his PhD in Switzerland in the field of light-matter interaction at the EPFL-Lausanne. He then went into research and development activities on nanotechnology for solar photovoltaic (PV) energy at IMEC in Belgium. More recently he worked on the establishment of a silicon–photovoltaics research lab for Qatar Foundation and is an active University lecturer at Paris-Sorbonne University, Abu Dhabi and the American University of Beirut in Solar Energy and Physics. He has authored and co-authored more than 30 publications in scientific peer-reviewed journals, and 10 in broad audience media; the list can be found here.
Since 2015, he is the CEO of Eedama as well as the co-founder of a Lebanese not-for-profit working on environmental justice: Jibal NGO. He spends most of his time training, coaching and mentoring innovators and entrepreneurs who want to work on green projects, from nanotechnological innovation to farm-schools.
He cofounded Whitelogs, and mushroom green business, and Alternative Tour Beirut, an alternative tourism company, in Lebanon. He is the president of the Board of the Center for Social Research and Action (Lebanon, Cyprus) and has been a member of the Global Advisory Panel of the Science and Innovation Park of the UAE University.Jocelyne Saade – GRADE A PLUS
Jocelyne Saade is a Mechanical Engineer specialized in renewable energy and co-founder of GRADE A PLUS, a Lebanese green enterprise born from an overlooked challenge: large quantities of sheep wool being discarded or burned every year in Lebanon.
Together with her team, she set out to rediscover the value of this natural resource and transform it into practical, sustainable solutions. Today, GRADE A PLUS upcycles sheep wool into SoilPlus agricultural products, natural thermal insulation, mattresses, pillows, and other wool-based applications.
After years of R&D, field trials, technical validation, and continuous improvement, SoilPlus is now entering the market, transforming sheep wool into a valuable agricultural input that supports soil health, water efficiency, and more resilient farming.
At the heart of GRADE A PLUS is a simple belief: change can start by turning what is considered waste into value, creating environmental, social, and economic impact by reducing waste, supporting farmers and shepherds, and creating new local opportunities.
It’s not about what it is. It’s about what it can become with GRADE A PLUS.”
1:30pm: Inspiring Interventions from successful Green Entrepreneurs
Learn about their journey, success stories, struggles, and more!
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Joyce Hamze – Wave eBikes
Joyce Hamze is the co-founder of Wave, a Lebanese green and social enterprise providing electric bike subscriptions designed for the unique conditions of Lebanon and cities across the MENA region.
With a background in communications and entrepreneurship, Joyce leads Wave’s strategic growth, communications and operations in Lebanon. Her work is driven by a passion for sustainable urban mobility and for creating practical solutions to the everyday challenges people face in their cities.
Together with the Wave team, Joyce has built and grown the company in one of the region’s most challenging environments, demonstrating that sustainable solutions can emerge, survive and grow even in difficult circumstances. Today, Wave is preparing to expand its fleet to meet growing demand in Lebanon and take its model to new markets across the region.Eddy Nasr – ULEAP
Eddy Nasr is an Electrical Engineer with more than 15 years of experience in the energy sector. After spending a decade in the private electricity industry, he joined IECD (Institut Européen de Coopération et de Développement) Lebanon in 2020, where he currently serves as Program Manager, leading the development and implementation of projects focused on education, vocational training, employability, and sustainable development.
Since January 2026, Eddy has also been the General Manager of ULEAP s.a.r.l., the social business of IECD in Lebanon. Through this role, he promotes innovative and inclusive solutions that support Lebanon’s green transition while creating opportunities for youth and local communities.
Founded in 2017 and officially registered in 2023, ULEAP aims to drive environmentally responsible social and economic development across Lebanon and empower the next generation of renewable energy professionals. Through a unique model combining hands-on field experience with technical, professional, and life-skills training, ULEAP equips young women and men with the competencies needed to succeed in the green economy.
In 2026, ULEAP launched PV for ALL, an innovative solar leasing initiative that expands access to renewable energy for vulnerable communities while creating practical learning and employment opportunities for aspiring solar energy technicians.Jocelyne Saade – GRADE A PLUS
Jocelyne Saade is a Mechanical Engineer specialized in renewable energy and co-founder of GRADE A PLUS, a Lebanese green enterprise born from an overlooked challenge: large quantities of sheep wool being discarded or burned every year in Lebanon.
Together with her team, she set out to rediscover the value of this natural resource and transform it into practical, sustainable solutions. Today, GRADE A PLUS upcycles sheep wool into SoilPlus agricultural products, natural thermal insulation, mattresses, pillows, and other wool-based applications.
After years of R&D, field trials, technical validation, and continuous improvement, SoilPlus is now entering the market, transforming sheep wool into a valuable agricultural input that supports soil health, water efficiency, and more resilient farming.
At the heart of GRADE A PLUS is a simple belief: change can start by turning what is considered waste into value, creating environmental, social, and economic impact by reducing waste, supporting farmers and shepherds, and creating new local opportunities.
It’s not about what it is. It’s about what it can become with GRADE A PLUS.”
02:15pm: Let’s Meet & Greet over Lunch! 🙂
Join us for lunch while networking with other players in the local green entrepreneurship ecosystem.
03:00pm: Parellel Sessions
Session 1 for Green Entrepreneurs: Green Financing
Additional information will be added soon
04:15pm:
Take a Break, Have a Taqa
04:30pm: Fill in the EcoSwitch Survey!
04:35pm: ECO-BINGO Time! 🙂
Our yearly fun Eco-Bingo game to meet new people & perhaps win some eco-goodies!
05:00pm: The Power of Collab workshop
Join us in this activity to unleash the potential of collaboration! Let’s co-create ideas for strengthening the green entrepreneurship ecosystem in Lebanon.
05:45pm: Time to Network & hold one-to-one introductory Meetings
6:15pm: Live Music with El Tase3 at the BDD Rooftop
Yummi bites sponsored by:
Refreshing drinks sponsored by:
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