BEIRUT, April 28, 2026 — The sixth edition of the Béchara and Carmen Obegi Award for Creativity and Innovation brought together students from Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ) at the Innovation and Sports Campus, marking the conclusion of a process that began weeks earlier with idea generation and project development.
Prior to the final pitching event, activities such as Idea Days, organized on a yearly basis by the USJ Center for Competencies and Entrepreneurship (EC²), mobilized more than 400 students across different campuses, leading to the formation of over 50 teams. Through successive stages of selection, mentoring, and pitch preparation led by the Center, the eight finalist teams were selected to present projects addressing themes including sustainability, education, health, and access to services.
This progression from early-stage ideas to structured projects reflects the approach adopted by EC², where students are guided in shaping their concepts into more defined and applicable solutions. Dr. Ursula El Hage, Director of EC², highlighted that the process focuses on helping participants move from idea to execution through structured support from their university. This perspective was echoed by Ms Cynthia-Maria Ghobril Andrea, director of Fondation USJ, who emphasized that the award functions not only as a form of recognition, but as a framework encouraging students to engage, experiment, and develop initiatives over time.
Within this framework, the role of entrepreneurship was addressed from both academic and practical perspectives. Drawing on economic theory, Prof. Jean-François Verne, Dean of the Faculty of Economics, emphasized that entrepreneurship is not defined by risk-taking alone, but by the ability to anticipate and interpret market signals.
In contexts such as Lebanon, where economic conditions are subject to rapid change, this capacity for adaptation becomes central, allowing entrepreneurs to respond to uncertainty while contributing to broader economic resilience.
The Winners: Projects Moving Toward Application
Following presentations to a jury of professionals: Fidèle El Achkar (Founder of FoodSight), Jack Jendo (Founder and CEO of Brain Digits), Carla Saba (Deputy General Manager of Berytech), and Maria Haraoui (Director of Risk Management at Banque BEMO), three projects were selected based on their development potential and relevance:
1st Prize: Ecofibra
A project transforming banana stems into natural, biodegradable textile fibers.
Founders: Abdallah Charif, Charline Tauk, Elia Fadel, Jonathan Richa, Mohamad Ali Bdeiri (Faculty of Science – FS)
2nd Prize: Brain Rush
A gamified application designed to make school curricula more interactive.
Founder: Frank-Germain Derjany (School of Engineering of Beirut – ESIB)
3rd Prize: Closet Roulette
A clothing rental platform aimed at expanding access to fashion while reducing waste.
Founder: Christelle Feghali (Faculty of Dental Medicine – FMD)
Empowering Future Entrepreneurs
The projects presented were also framed within a broader reflection on the role of youth in navigating national challenges. Addressing participants, Prof. François Boëdec, SJ, Rector of USJ, emphasized that student initiatives extend beyond individual projects. He positioned them as part of a wider contribution to society, where engagement, persistence, and a sense of responsibility play a role in shaping future pathways. In this perspective, innovation is not detached from context, but rather rooted in it, requiring long-term commitment and collective effort.
This approach was closely aligned with the perspective shared by Dr. Riad Obegi, President of Banque BEMO. Through both his speech and an interactive session with students, he highlighted the importance of consistency, adaptability, and informed decision-making in entrepreneurial journeys. Directly responding to participants’ questions during a Q&A session, he emphasized that in environments marked by instability, external support systems and structured initiatives such as this innovation award play a role in sustaining motivation and enabling project continuity.
Learning by Doing
The awards ceremony also included a testimonial from Fadi Abboud, an alumnus of the Faculty of Dental Medicine, a former Obegi Award winner, and founder of the startup iolokis. Reflecting on his journey, he described the competition as a starting point that enabled him to pursue further opportunities both within USJ and internationally, illustrating how such initiatives can extend beyond the academic setting.
Following the competition, selected teams will continue developing their projects through an incubation program at Berytech. These next steps aim to support the transition from academic work to more structured entrepreneurial initiatives.
For more information about upcoming programs, contact the USJ Center for Competencies and Entrepreneurship (EC²) at ec2@usj.edu.lb.
Also read:
Transformer une vision en réalité : la sixième édition du Prix Béchara et Carmen Obegi met en lumière l’innovation étudiante
Speech delivered in French by Professor François Boëdec, SJ, Rector of Saint Joseph University of Beirut
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