QOOT Cluster

What QOOT Cluster does

QOOT Cluster is Lebanon's first agrifood innovation cluster, founded in 2019 by Berytech and headquartered in Beirut. It operates as a private, non-profit, member-based organization that convenes 125+ agrifood businesses, service providers, farmers, and international buyers across the full value chain — with 60%+ women-owned or led enterprises among members. Its core mission is to overcome the fragmentation of Lebanon's agrifood sector by providing market access, innovation support, and capacity building to SMEs that would otherwise lack international exposure and scale.

The cluster's offering is a portfolio of interconnected services rather than a unified software product. The flagship is the annual Agrifood Innovation Award (AFIA), now in its fourth edition, which recognizes sector innovation across six categories and feeds winners into a retail pipeline with Spinneys and Fattal Group. The Executive Innovation Academy (EIA), launched in January 2026 with Saint Joseph University of Beirut under EU funding, is an 80-hour hybrid certification program that graduated 17 executives from 14 companies at 100% completion in May 2026. A B2B matchmaking platform and digital discovery portal connect members with input suppliers, farmers, distributors, and international buyers, while the Annual General Assembly, trade missions, and international exhibitions (SIAL Paris, HORECA, ADIFE, Agritek Syria) create offline deal-making surfaces. The cluster also runs capacity-building workshops (sensory evaluation, financial risk management, sustainability/OSH) and contract farming initiatives connecting processors directly with farmers through ILO partnerships.

QOOT's revenue model is a hybrid of small annual membership dues (tiered $200-$500 for SMEs and $250-$550 for associate members) and substantial institutional donor grants from the European Union, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sweden (Sida), EBRD, and ILO. Governance is by an elected member board (newly constituted in May 2025 under President Nabil Schumann), with Berytech as the founding and implementing partner. The cluster holds the ESCA Silver Label for cluster management excellence (renewed through 2027) — the first agrifood cluster in Lebanon and MENA to earn this distinction.

Name

QOOT Cluster

Legal name

QOOT — Lebanon Agrifood Innovation Cluster

Website

https://qoot.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

QOOT Cluster is Lebanon's first agrifood innovation cluster, founded in 2019 by Berytech to serve 125+ agrifood SMEs through the Annual General Assembly, matchmaking platform, Executive Innovation Academy, and the Agrifood Innovation Award, funded by membership fees and grants from the EU, Netherlands, Sweden, EBRD, and ILO.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Beirut

HQ country

Lebanon

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues from agrifood members (SMEs and enterprises) and associate members (service providers), tiered by company size.
2. Grants and Donor Funding: Funding from international donors including European Union (EuroMed Clusters Forward Programme), Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sweden (Sida), and multilateral organizations like EBRD and ILO to support cluster programs and initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

QOOT Cluster is Lebanon's first agrifood innovation cluster, operating as a membership-based organization that delivers B2B matchmaking, market access facilitation, the annual Agrifood Innovation Award (AFIA), and the hybrid Executive Innovation Academy certification to 125+ agrifood producers, processors, and service providers. It connects Lebanese agrifood businesses with input suppliers, farmers, distributors, and international buyers through trade missions, an online matchmaking portal, and capacity-building workshops.

Product overview

QOOT Cluster operates as Lebanon's agrifood innovation cluster, functioning as a membership-based organization that provides a portfolio of interconnected services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include the Agrifood Innovation Award (AFIA) - an annual competition recognizing sector innovation; the Executive Innovation Academy Programme (EIA) - a hybrid executive certification developed in partnership with Saint Joseph University of Beirut; tiered membership programs with benefits including matchmaking, market access support, and capacity building; and specialized training initiatives including sensory evaluation workshops and sustainability training. These services work together to strengthen competitiveness, market access, and networking for Lebanon's agrifood sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Agrifood Innovation Award (AFIA): QOOT's flagship award program recognizing pioneering innovations within the Lebanese agricultural and food landscape, with annual editions including AFIA 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.
• Executive Innovation Academy Programme (EIA)
• Executive Program in Agrifood Innovation (EPAI)
• Weekly Learning Hours – Resilience Series

Products and services

• QOOT Membership Programs Tiered annual membership program for agrifood SMEs and associate service providers, granting access to matchmaking, market access support, capacity building, and networking events. Pricing is set at USD 200/year for small companies (1-9 employees), USD 350/year for medium (10-49), and USD 500/year for large (50+), with associate membership at USD 250-550/year depending on size.
• Agrifood Innovation Award (AFIA) Annual competition and award ceremony recognizing pioneering agrifood innovations across six categories: alcoholic beverages, baked goods & snacks, health & wellbeing, non-alcoholic beverages, pantry products, and refrigerated & chilled products. Winners receive USD 3,000 R&D vouchers, retail showcase opportunities, and ISO certification support.
• Executive Innovation Academy Programme (EIA) Hybrid executive certification program equipping decision-makers with mindset, tools, and networks to drive sustainable innovation in Lebanon's agrifood sector. Includes eight training modules covering innovation strategy, design thinking, financing, and leadership, combining 80 hours of in-person workshops with self-paced online learning.
• B2B Matchmaking Services Digital and physical matchmaking services connecting QOOT members with input suppliers, farmers, distributors, traders, and international buyers. Includes an online discovery portal at qoot.org/matchmaking enabling self-serve contact initiation, supported by organized buyer-seller meetings, delegations, and networking events.
• Contract Farming and B2B Market Linkages Initiative Initiative connecting farmers directly with agri-food processors such as Melqart (hot sauce) and Grabbit (cherry processing) through formal contract farming arrangements, creating long-term partnerships that reduce reliance on intermediaries and strengthen supply chains.
• Weekly Learning Hours - Resilience Series Five-session capacity-building initiative providing practical insights, peer learning, and actionable tools to strengthen business resilience across financial planning, supply chain management, consumer behavior, retail dynamics, and quality management for agrifood SMEs.
• Trade Fair and Exhibition Support Program Program facilitating SME participation in international trade fairs, business missions, and matchmaking activities at exhibitions such as SIAL Paris, HORECA, ADIFE, and Agritek Syria, as well as inbound buyer delegations to Lebanon.
• Sensory Evaluation Training Workshop Capacity-building workshop on sensory analysis techniques for snack products, helping SMEs refine taste, texture, and consumer appeal through structured evaluation methods.
• Sustainability and Occupational Safety Workshop Participatory workshop on integrating sustainability into occupational safety and health practices, addressing climate-responsive OSH for agrifood SMEs in partnership with Green Essence Lebanon, Tekmek Engineering Solutions, and Rentokil Boecker.

Quantifiable outcome

• 125 active members with USD 3.23 million incremental sales generated in the past year alone
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Strategic partnership through the Professional Training Center (CFP) to co-create and deliver the Executive Innovation Academy Programme. The MoU formalizes collaboration on innovation, applied learning, and ecosystem development.
• International Labour Organization (ILO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaboration on the BOUZOUR and PROSPECTS projects supporting Lebanese agri-SMEs through contract farming, B2B matchmaking, supply chain strengthening, and market access enhancement. Includes cost-sharing initiatives and farmer training programs.
• Ministry of Industry LebanonmajorOthers · 1 January 2025Government partner supporting AFIA 2025 under the patronage of the Prime Minister. Minister of Industry Joe Issa-El-Khoury participated in panel discussions on national innovation priorities.
• Ministry of Agriculture LebanonmajorOthers · 1 January 2025Government partner in the ILO-QOOT contract farming initiative. Minister Nizar Hani participated in events highlighting agriculture's role in economic growth and export enhancement.
• Ministry of Economy and Trade LebanonmajorOthers · 1 January 2025Government partner for AFIA 2025, supporting the innovation ecosystem and agrifood competitiveness initiatives.
• Green Essence LebanonsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Partner for sustainability and OSH workshops on green transition transforming agri-food workplaces. Co-founded by Saad Maakaron, providing expertise on sustainable energy solutions.
• Tekmek Engineering SolutionssupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Partner for sustainability and OSH workshops. Tony Aazan provided expertise on climate-responsive occupational safety and health practices for agri-food businesses.
• Rentokil BoeckersupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Provided quality management expertise for the Weekly Learning Hours Resilience Series, with Marilyn Abdessater and Bana Kobrosly leading sessions on food safety systems and certification integrity.
• Chartouni and PartnerssupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Financial advisory partner facilitating the Financial Risk Management Workshop in collaboration with EBRD, providing scenario planning tools and working capital analysis.
• Spinneys LebanonmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Retail partner providing 3-month showcase opportunities for AFIA winners on QOOT-branded stands. Also offers shelf talkers, promotions, and listing facilitation through Gray Mackenzie Retail Lebanon.
• Fattal GroupmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Strategic partner providing capacity building on road to market, potential distribution agreements, and three-month access to Fattal Group e-commerce platform for AFIA winners.
• AIL LebanonsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Partner providing first-year ISO 22000:2018 certificate audit support for AFIA winners, enhancing food safety compliance.
• BerytechcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Berytech is the founding organization behind QOOT Cluster, providing ongoing leadership in implementation. The organization led the EuroMed Clusters Forward Programme in partnership with QOOT. Berytech's Mar Roukoz facility hosts cluster events and activities.
• ANIMA Investment NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Implementing partner for the EuroMed Clusters Forward Programme, supporting cluster development and innovation across the Mediterranean region.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Broad incumbents

• Wageningen Food & Biobased Research: Wageningen University & Research's Food & Biobased Research division is a global leader in agrifood innovation, R&D, and SME support. As a larger incumbent in agrifood innovation ecosystems and food valley networks, it represents the scale-up trajectory QOOT aspires to, particularly through its industry-academia collaboration model.
• Berytech: Berytech is Lebanon's leading startup and innovation ecosystem and the founding organization of QOOT. As a broader-incumbent incubator/accelerator serving multiple sectors (agrifood, cleantech, ICT), it provides the operational and strategic backbone for QOOT and is the closest organizational analogue in the Lebanese innovation landscape.
• EIT Food: EIT Food is the EU's flagship food innovation partnership funded under Horizon Europe, supporting agrifood innovation, education, and entrepreneurship across Europe. As a large, donor-funded food innovation ecosystem, it is comparable in mission (accelerating agrifood innovation) but operates at much greater scale and geographic breadth than QOOT.

Direct peers

• Food Innovation Hub Israel: Food Innovation Hub Israel is an agrifood-focused innovation cluster and accelerator connecting Israeli startups with corporate partners, retailers, and international markets. It is a directly comparable regional peer offering matchmaking, capacity building, and innovation programs similar to QOOT's AFIA and EIA offerings.
• Pack4Food (Cluster Agrifood Packaging): Pack4Food is an Italian agrifood packaging innovation cluster, also ESCA-certified, that supports SMEs through collaborative R&D, training, and B2B services. It is directly comparable to QOOT as a national/regional agrifood cluster pursuing ESCA excellence certification and serving SMEs with similar service offerings.
• Forward Fooding: Forward Fooding is a global FoodTech industry platform that connects agrifood corporates, startups, and investors through matchmaking and innovation programs. Its focus on B2B matchmaking, industry collaboration, and innovation discovery makes it a directly comparable peer to QOOT's matchmaking and AFIA-style activities.
• Food Valley: Food Valley is a Netherlands-based agrifood innovation cluster and one of the world's leading food innovation ecosystems. Like QOOT, it operates as a member-based cluster organization facilitating collaboration, R&D, and market access across agrifood value chains, making it a directly comparable model for cluster management and donor-funded innovation support.

Others

• ANIMA Investment Network: ANIMA Investment Network is a Mediterranean cluster and investment promotion organization implementing the EuroMed Clusters Forward Programme in partnership with QOOT. While not a direct competitor, ANIMA is a peer network in the cluster-development and agrifood innovation ecosystem and a key implementation partner.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/QOOTCluster
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@qootcluster
• Facebookfacebook.com/qootcluster
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qootcluster
• Instagraminstagram.com/qootcluster

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about QOOT Cluster