Designing and Facilitating an Incubator Programme

ABOUT THE GOETHE-INSTITUT

The Goethe-Institut is the Federal Republic of Germany’s worldwide cultural institute, promoting German language abroad and cultivating international cultural cooperation. The Goethe-Institut Libanon is implementing since 2019 the Program FANTASMEEM which adopts a holistic approach towards supporting the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) in Lebanon with a focus on design. This involves capacity building, fostering cultural / social / environmental entrepreneurship, and encouraging collaborations and knowledge sharing in the country and across the MENA Region.

 

CONTEXT

The Covid-19 pandemic and current economic crisis in Lebanon has put the businesses and livelihoods of many creative entrepreneurs at risk. In response to this emergency, the Goethe-Institut Libanon, within the framework of the FANTASMEEM Program, is planning to implement a hybrid or online incubator programme dedicated to young and mid-career design entrepreneurs with a focus on social and sustainable development in Lebanon in order to contribute to building their resilience and responsiveness in a time of profound challenges and crisis.

The Goethe-Institut Libanon seeks offers for a service contract from companies and/or educational or training institutions experienced in business development, incubator/accelerator programmes, and entrepreneurship training and mentoring. The scope of this service contract is to conceptualize and facilitate the implementation of a hybrid or online incubator programme – to be implemented by the end of October 2021 – to support design entrepreneurs with a focus on social and sustainable development in Lebanon.

 

OVERALL GOAL

Support up to 50 design entrepreneurs who are involved in social and sustainable development in Lebanon, by strengthening their skills to define and scale up their start-ups or business ideas, enhance their resilience to overcome challenges in a sustainable way, and improve their prospects for employment and income.

 

POTENTIAL BENEFICIARIES

A maximum number of 50 participants as a total for both cohorts (25 participants in each cohort) with the following profiles:

  • Design Freelancers and Entrepreneurs (solo or in teams, from all fields of design) with a start-up or business model idea focusing on social and sustainable development; OR Social Entrepreneurs with creative start-ups in their early phase, and in need of an intensive entrepreneurship training
  • Based in Lebanon
  • Full-timer employees not eligible

 

PROGRAMME COMPONENTS

The programme implementation phase is between mid-August and the end of October 2021. July marks the month for building the program content, inviting the trainers and selecting the participants, while November gives space to close the program.

Over the period of 2.5 months between August and October 2021, the curriculum-based and mentoring-driven incubator programme is to be delivered in intensive schedules to two parallel cohorts (a total of 100–120 hours each) based on various session setups, including classroom setup, mentoring, and coaching (individually or in small groups).

The curriculum shall include (but should not be limited to) the following:

  1. Business Ideation and Models for Creative Enterprises (e.g. Customer & Beneficiary Understanding, Product Strategy and Design, etc.)
  2. Green and Social Entrepreneurial Skills (e.g. Impact Measurement and Management)
  3. Sustainable and Resilient Business Development (e.g. Circular Economy, Circular Design Thinking, Digital Innovations in Sustainable Design, Business Case & Sustainable Finance etc.)
  4. Visibility and Communication (e.g. Storytelling & Pitching for sustainable investor relations)

The programme should also include ample Networking and Community Building Opportunities, as well as Communication and Visibility Measures to promote the start-ups and entrepreneurs taking part in the programme.

 

PROGRAMME GUIDELINES

The above components should follow the programme general guidelines:

  • The incubation programme has to address resilience* as an underlying concept throughout the curriculum.
  • The intensity of the programme for each cohort should be between 100 – 120 hours each and delivered through various session setups, including classroom setup, mentoring, coaching etc. The distribution of the hours (per week, per month, ‘intensive’ weeks etc.) has to be designed by the bidding party and should be part of the offer.
  • The incubation programme could be either an online or a hybrid model, while taking current and future sanitary and health restrictions into consideration. These considerations should be part of the offer, taking into account inclusiveness and the “leave no one behind” approach.
  • The two cohorts could have a different focus, which depends on the selection of the participants. Face-to-face activities can take place outside Beirut, taking into account inclusiveness and the “leave no one behind” approach.
  • The implementation of activities should be completed by the end of October 2021.

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*Definition of Resilience in this context: The ability of the CCI entities (informally engaged persons, freelancers, start-ups, entrepreneurs, companies, organizations) to absorb and recover from the shock of the pandemic and current economic crisis in Lebanon, whilst positively adapting and transforming their structures and means for living.

 

SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED

Various services can be assigned to different partners or one single partner according to the quotations and proposals received.

Tailored towards the needs of social entrepreneurship and the design industry in Lebanon, the partner is expected to deliver the following services (with a maximum budget of 16,500 EUR as a total for services 1, 2 & 3):  

1. Conceptualization

Conceptualize an intensive 2.5-month hybrid or online curriculum-based and mentoring-driven incubator programme, to be delivered to two parallel cohorts for 100-120 hours each, including the content and content structure of the main training sessions and the accompanying learning structures such as mentoring, coaching, etc., based on (but not limited to) the program components mentioned above. A core programme would serve as a basis for both cohorts, but it might need to be adjusted based on the background variety of the selected participants in each cohort.

 

2. Facilitation and Moderation

  1. In coordination with the FANTASMEEM Project Coordinator, develop, facilitate, and moderate the programme activities for each component (including coordination and communication with trainees, trainers, mentors, and other actors) to ensure smooth and coherent implementation in both cohorts
  2. Handle logistics for all events and sessions according to the regulations and conditions agreed upon with the FANTASMEEM Project Coordinator
  3. Ensure communication and visibility for participants throughout the project
  4. Assist the FANTASMEEM Project Coordinator with the monitoring and evaluation process.

 

3. Identifying Experts and Spaces to Conduct Activities

  1. Identify potential trainers/experts/mentors/coaches and relevant stakeholders in Lebanon or abroad to conduct sessions/activities. Collect and suggest offers to the FANTASMEEM Project Coordinator in accordance to Goethe-Institut regulations. (Contracts and payments to be handled by the Goethe-Institut Libanon.)
  2. Identify spaces (digital or physical) for participants to meet, network, experiment, or do training-related activities in accordance to sanitary and social distancing measures. Collect and suggest offers to the FANTASMEEM Project Coordinator in accordance to Goethe-Institut regulations. (Contracts and payments to be handled by the Goethe-Institut Libanon.)

 

4. CONDITIONAL Services for 2022: Providing Services 1, 2 and/ or 3 for a one-cohort Incubator Programme in 2022 (with a maximum budget of 7,500 EUR for all three services)

Depending on funding and satisfaction of services provided, there is a possibility for a similar programme to be implemented in 2022 with the same chosen partner(s) but on a smaller scale (one cohort). The Incubator Programme-2022 would be based on and adjusted from the Incubator Programme-2021.

 

 

How to apply

  • Deadline: July 8, 2021
  • Contract Duration: Mid-July (or later) through End of November
  • Application language:  English
  • Format: All required documents are to be sent as PDF files in one email (up to 20 MB)
  • Email application to: [email protected] with the subject line: “Incubator Programme”

 

REQUIREMENTS

  • At least five years of professional experience in offering incubator and/or accelerator programs on green and social entrepreneurship and on business support in Lebanon, with a focus on sustainability, including training, mentoring, and coaching services
  • Proven experience in the conception, development, and successful implementation of training programs in the cultural and creative field in Lebanon. (Cooperation with local and/or international partners or NGOs is a plus.)
  • Knowledge of the design and cultural scene in Lebanon is a plus
  • Experience in implementing online and hybrid education formats
  • Proficiency in English and Arabic communication, both spoken and written
  • Available on short notice for arrangements and close coordination with the FANTASMEEM Project Coordinator and other actors

 

OFFERS MUST INCLUDE

  1. Letter of interest including a brief explanation on how your proposal contributes to the concept of resilience, sustainability, and social development in the design and social entrepreneurship scene in Lebanon, in addition to your approach to the CCI in Lebanon.
  2. Detailed quotation in Euros for each service (1, 2 and/or 3) that your organisation wants to bid for (with a maximum budget of 16,500 EUR for all three services). Various services can be assigned to different partners or to one single partner according to the quotations and proposals received. The contract with Goethe-Institut Libanon would only include the services you bid for in your quotation and get selected for.
  3. Proposal outlining the operational plan with a timeframe, including a concept note with the main concept ideas, detailed list of suggested activities/ topics, and a breakdown of hours among the activities of the programme components.
  4. Portfolio of the Institution: portfolio, handbook, or links that show history of implemented projects, in addition to professional references from international organizations if available
  5. (Optional) Quotation for a one-cohort Incubator Programme-2022 (Services 1, 2 and/or 3), that should build upon the knowledge and experience gained in 2021

 

SELECTION CRITERIA

  • Only complete applications sent before the end of the deadline will be considered
  • The Goethe-Institut Libanon reserves the right to ask for additional documentation after submission
  • A committee will evaluate the different proposals submitted.
  • The evaluation will be based on a cumulative score, consisting of the following three elements:
      1. 50% for quality of the proposal
      2. 30% for price of the quotation
      3. 20% for quality and professionalism of the submitting team or organization (e.g. relevant work experience in green and social entrepreneurship)
  • As various services can be assigned to different partners, each specific service will be awarded according to its highest cumulative score

On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) and the Goethe-Institut promote the emerging market of cultural and creative industries in Africa and in the Middle East. 

Expired
Deadline
Thursday, 08. Jul 2021
Type of Call
Call for Proposals
Intervention Sector(s):
Culture, Development, Social & Cultural Development