Call for a Needs Assessment Consultant / Research Firm- Act Smart

1. Background

IdeaLab is a program developed by Berytech under the Partners Growth framework to support early-stage entrepreneurs through incubation, mentorship, and access to resources. As the program prepares for its fifth batch and expands its outreach efforts across Lebanon, Berytech aims to conduct a focused needs assessment targeting university students, recent graduates, and young aspiring entrepreneurs to improve targeting, outreach, and program design.

This assessment will support not only the recruitment for the upcoming IdeaLab batch, but will also inform future cohorts of agri-food and cleantech-focused incubation programs.

2. Objective of the Assignment

• The main objective of this assignment is to conduct a targeted needs assessment that helps: Identify and refine the key target groups for IdeaLab and related programs.
• Understand the entrepreneurial readiness, motivations, and challenges of youth and recent graduates.
• Support Berytech’s partners by sharing profiles and networks of potential applicants in their respective areas to facilitate outreach.

3. Scope of Work

The consultant/firm is expected to:

1. Review existing records from previous IdeaLab and related programs to identify successful participant personas and regional engagement trends.
2. Conduct a survey and/or short interviews with university students (final year), recent graduates (within 1–3 years), and members of entrepreneurship clubs or university incubators.
3.  Map target groups and entrepreneurial hotspots across the four regions: Beirut, North, Mount Lebanon, Bekaa and South.
4. Assess:
   1. Entrepreneurial interest and readiness levels
   2. Common barriers and motivations
   3. Awareness and perception of programs like IdeaLab
   4. Gaps in university-level entrepreneurial education or support
   5. Sector-specific interests (agri-food, cleantech, digital, etc.)
5. Provide ongoing updates to Berytech and its partners during the assessment period by sharing contacts and leads for potential outreach.
6. Present a final analysis with recommendations for target group refinement, outreach strategy, and program development.

4. Deliverables

1. Inception Report – methodology, tools, timeline, sampling plan.
2. Weekly Briefs – updates including outreach leads segmented by region.
3. Midterm Debrief – presentation of early findings and adjustments if needed.
4.  Final Report – including:
   1. Analysis of key findings
   2. Map of potential partners and outreach networks
   3.  Refined target group personas
   4. Sectoral and regional trends
   5. Recommendations for future programming
5.  Database of Contacts – potential outreach leads categorized by region and profile type.

5. Timeline

Duration: 2 months from contract signing

Final report to be delivered no later than: 30 June 2025

6. Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate (consultant or firm) should have:

• Proven experience in research, field assessments, or ecosystem mapping
• Knowledge of Lebanon’s entrepreneurship and higher education landscape
• Strong analytical and reporting skills
• Familiarity with the agri-food and cleantech sectors is a plus