2018 has been a better year for startups

ENAR

Lebanon’s startup ecosystem is in much better shape today than 10 years ago, thanks in large part to Circular 331 from Banque du Liban (BDL), Lebanon’s central bank. We at B&Y Venture Partners have invested in some fantastic companies with exceptional founders and are very pleased with the quality of our portfolio to date. Most of our Lebanese portfolio companies are tackling global markets, and some of them have recently captured the interest of leading European and US venture capital funds. Circular 331 has made capital available across different stages of startup development (from seed to growth), which is key to developing a self-sustaining cycle of success. Entrepreneurs today also have access to a wider network of support with the recent growth in accelerators, incubators, matching funds, and angel groups. Having an active and engaged pool of angel investors is crucial to building a healthy ecosystem. Going forward, it is