Product Development Consultant - Lebanon Innovate Project

Berytech is a leading organization in the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Lebanon, that aims to provide a conducive environment for the creation and development of startups, through incubation, business support, counseling, funding, networking, and company hosting, hence taking part in the economic revival of the country, participating in wealth and job creation, and retaining graduates and high-level skills in Lebanon.  

Lebanon Innovate is a 42-month European Union-funded initiative, aimed at advancing Lebanese research into market-ready innovations in key sectors such as Information and Communication Technology (ICT), healthcare, and agrifood. The program is designed to enhance Lebanon's entrepreneurial ecosystem, encouraging partnerships between academia and industry, and emphasizing intellectual property protection and international networking to catalyze economic and innovative development in Lebanon.

The program aims to:

• Enhance competitiveness in sectors like agrifood, healthcare, and ICT.
• Support stakeholder empowerment for knowledge sharing and commercialization.
• Foster industry-academia partnerships for innovation.
• Connect with European countries and diaspora networks for global market access.

This Terms of Reference (TOR) falls under one of the key activities of the Lebanon Innovate Program, specifically the “LIRA Competition” that aims at supporting Lebanese researchers in transforming applied academic research that address industrial needs into market-ready products and services. This initiative focuses on three key sectors: ICT, Healthcare and agrifood. The selected projects’ teams will receive technical and financial support services to advance their research into tangible outcomes.

During the Incubation Phase of the LIRA Program, 5 research projects’ teams have advanced to this stage to develop their innovative projects in the agrifood, healthcare and ICT sector. These innovations require specialized expertise in market research, business modeling, financial planning, go-to-market strategy, and product development to ensure their successful transition from concept to market-ready solutions.

This study is critical at this stage, as it will serve as the foundational building block for the projects. By developing the final version of the product, the researchers are ready to commercialize their innovation.

The consultant will be working with 4 startups in ICT and Healthcare sector on the following (but not limited to):

• Conduct initial assessments of current product designs and development stages
• Provide guidance on hardware design, prototyping, and testing by recommending suitable materials, components, and manufacturing processes
• Develop software architecture, design, and development processes by advising on best practices for software development, including coding standards, version control, and testing
• Enhance technology integration for seamless connectivity between hardware and software
• Enhance product’s design and quality
• Finalize product testing and validation to ensure reliability, accuracy, and performance

The consultant is expected to submit the following (but not limited to):

• Detailed initial assessment report of every startup
• Conduct one on one sessions with each team to follow up on the progress
• Detailed hardware and software design documents
• Prototypes and testing reports
• Technology integration frameworks and recommendations.
• Quality assurance processes and guidelines
• A two-month action plan outlining the next steps and milestones for the startup
• Follow-up support to guide the startup in implementing the action plan and progressing on the prototype
• Conduct an info session with the research team to present findings, provide strategic recommendations, and address any questions
• Submit a comprehensive final report summarizing all findings, activities, and recommendations/next steps of each team

NB:

• The selected consultant will schedule an initial meeting with each team to refine the scope of work and associated deliverables, ensuring they are tailored to the specific needs of each startup.
• Attached are the profiles of each startup along with their description

• At least 5 years of Proven experience in product development, particularly in the Health, Agrifood, and ICT sectors; with startups or early-stage companies
• A degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Product Management, or a related field
• Expertise in both hardware and software development processes
• Ability to analyze complex data sets and translate findings into actionable insights and strategic recommendations
• Deep understanding of the healthcare and ICT industry, including market trends, regulatory environments, and key stakeholders
• Company profile highlighting relevant qualifications and experience
• Use of tools and methods to finalize the consultancy mission
• Applications to this proposal can be from independent trainers/consultants, Corporate or Agency

The selected Consultant is expected to start his/her activities at the soonest after selection, and the contract’s duration is up to 4 months, with a budget of up to 4,000 EUR. 

Candidates should submit the following documents:

• Technical (maximum two pages) describing the methodology to conduct the work based on the content suggested in the section: “Scope of Work, and Deliverables” elaborating it further.
• Profile and project references (maximum two pages): A brief explanation of the consultant(s) background should be submitted (CVs shall be included as an annex) along with project references on the topic.
• Financial Proposal describing the expected remuneration and the proposed period of the intervention.