LeBusiness — Lebanon Business News & Market Insights
60 Wineries, One Marketplace: The Story of 209 Lebanese Wine
209 Lebanese Wine is the online marketplace that gathers wines from 60 local wineries in one place, from large estates to small boutique producers. Founded by marketer Selim Yasmine, the platform pairs e-commerce with a built-in sommelier that helps shoppers choose bottles by food, taste, and budget. It is an alumnus of Berytech's Agrytech accelerator and a member of the QOOT Agri-food Innovation Cluster.
Waytrix Builds an Advertising Network Inside Lebanon's Restaurants
Waytrix is a Lebanese company placing tablets on restaurant, coffee shop, and event tables, where they run as interactive menus and as 15-second video ad slots at the same time. The model gives brands a calm, high-attention setting to reach diners, while venues get the hardware, the software, and smartwatch service alerts for staff at no upfront cost.
AirGuard Targets the 40% of ISP Outages Caused by RF Interference
AirGuard, a Lebanese deep-tech startup, has built a hardware-enabled SaaS platform that proactively detects and corrects RF interference on ISP networks. Founded by Ryan Kyrillos and Chris Kareh, the company is targeting paid pilots with MENA operators and a path into the Gulf market.
The Lebanese Startup Replacing Shared Passwords With Shared Access
AccessOff is a Lebanese startup that lets people and teams share online accounts without handing over passwords. Founded by Youssef Alhomsi and Abeer AlAhdab and based at Berytech in Beirut, it gives the account owner control over what the invited person can do, for how long, with full activity tracking.
Latest News
Lebanon Returns to VivaTech With Its 2026 Paris Cohort
A coalition of Lebanese ecosystem builders has unveiled the founders heading to Porte de Versailles in June.
A coalition of Lebanese innovation organizations has revealed the country's delegation to VivaTech 2026, running June 17 to 20 in Paris. The cohort, presented under the banner Bold Minds, Boundless Innovation, brings together founders and ecosystem partners preparing for Europe's largest tech event in its 10th anniversary edition.
Lebanon Leads Arab World in PhD Holders, Study Finds
Lebanon's share of doctorate holders is more than double that of Saudi Arabia, the next country on the list.
Lebanon holds the top spot among Arab countries for the share of doctorate degree holders in its population, according to a study reportedly conducted by American research firm Caldwell. The figure places the country well ahead of larger and wealthier Arab economies. The ranking arrives at a time when Lebanese graduates continue to leave the country in large numbers.
Saudi Fintech Stream Adds $5.2M Seed Extension, Total Hits $9.2M
BECO Capital led the round less than six months after Stream's initial $4 million seed close.
Riyadh-based billing and payments platform Stream has raised $5.2 million in a seed extension led by BECO Capital, with STV, Flourish Ventures, and Arab Bank joining the round. The new capital brings the company's total seed funding to $9.2 million, raised inside a six-month window.
HASIF Becomes Second Startup Backed by Snoonu's Startup Factory
The Qatari accounting SaaS builds AI tools for SMEs preparing for new VAT and compliance rules in the Gulf.
Qatari super-app Snoonu has taken an undisclosed stake in HASIF, an AI-powered accounting software startup serving small and medium businesses. The deal closes through the Snoonu Startup Factory initiative and makes HASIF the second company backed by the program after Sufra AI.
Mirvatte Mtanos and the Lebanese Case for Design with Emotion
The interior architect, graphic designer, and creative strategist treats design as emotional architecture.
Lebanese interior architect and graphic designer Mirvatte Mtanos works at the intersection of architecture, visual design, and psychology. Her practice and her eBook, YOU ARE BEING DESIGNED, are built around a philosophy she calls Design with Emotion, which treats every space and identity as a tool for shaping how people feel.
The Giving Movement Founder Says He Sold the Brand to Existing Investors
Dominic Nowell-Barnes says the Dubai streetwear sale closed in May 2025, with Rania El Khatib reported as the new CEO.
Dominic Nowell-Barnes says he sold The Giving Movement to its existing investors in May 2025 for less than the company's value, in a personal Instagram post picked up by Smashi Business. The Dubai-based streetwear label, backed by Knuru Capital and Turmeric Capital, is reported to now be led by former IMI executive Rania Masri El Khatib.
Joint Business Council Tops Agenda as Salam, Sharaa Meet in Damascus
Salam led his economy, energy and transport ministers to Damascus to push trade and infrastructure tracks.
Lebanon and Syria agreed to accelerate a Joint Business Council and deepen cooperation on trade, energy and transport during talks between Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus. Lebanese ministers for economy, energy and transport joined the visit, putting the bilateral file under operational ministries almost 18 months after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
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Latest News
Waytrix Builds an Advertising Network Inside Lebanon's Restaurants
Beirut-based Waytrix turns fine-dining tablets into both a digital menu and a brand channel.
Waytrix is a Lebanese company placing tablets on restaurant, coffee shop, and event tables, where they run as interactive menus and as 15-second video ad slots at the same time. The model gives brands a calm, high-attention setting to reach diners, while venues get the hardware, the software, and smartwatch service alerts for staff at no upfront cost.
Saudi Fintech Stream Adds $5.2M Seed Extension, Total Hits $9.2M
BECO Capital led the round less than six months after Stream's initial $4 million seed close.
Riyadh-based billing and payments platform Stream has raised $5.2 million in a seed extension led by BECO Capital, with STV, Flourish Ventures, and Arab Bank joining the round. The new capital brings the company's total seed funding to $9.2 million, raised inside a six-month window.
HASIF Becomes Second Startup Backed by Snoonu's Startup Factory
The Qatari accounting SaaS builds AI tools for SMEs preparing for new VAT and compliance rules in the Gulf.
Qatari super-app Snoonu has taken an undisclosed stake in HASIF, an AI-powered accounting software startup serving small and medium businesses. The deal closes through the Snoonu Startup Factory initiative and makes HASIF the second company backed by the program after Sufra AI.
AirGuard Targets the 40% of ISP Outages Caused by RF Interference
The Lebanese startup uses edge AI and an 8-antenna array to keep MENA networks running.
AirGuard, a Lebanese deep-tech startup, has built a hardware-enabled SaaS platform that proactively detects and corrects RF interference on ISP networks. Founded by Ryan Kyrillos and Chris Kareh, the company is targeting paid pilots with MENA operators and a path into the Gulf market.
Emkan Capital Leads $12M Series A Into Saudi Healthtech Aumet
The round brings in QDB, SABAH Fund, and AAIC as Aumet scales its AI procurement OS beyond pharmacies.
Saudi Arabia-based healthtech Aumet has closed a $12 million Series A round led by Emkan Capital, with backing from Qatar Development Bank, SABAH Fund, AAIC, and existing investors Shorooq Partners and Right Side Capital Management. The capital will fund AI expansion, enterprise deployments, and growth across the GCC. Aumet operates an AI-first procurement platform serving more than 12,000 pharmacies and 32 hospitals across Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.
The Lebanese Startup Replacing Shared Passwords With Shared Access
The Berytech-backed startup lets you share an online account with anyone, set the rules, and revoke access on command.
AccessOff is a Lebanese startup that lets people and teams share online accounts without handing over passwords. Founded by Youssef Alhomsi and Abeer AlAhdab and based at Berytech in Beirut, it gives the account owner control over what the invited person can do, for how long, with full activity tracking.