The AUB-SPARK Scaling-up of Startups (SSS) Program provides late-stage startups and mature firms with practical workshops and customized one-on-one mentoring sessions that help participating companies eventually achieve 2x growth in the coming 3 to 5 years.
AUB-SPARK Scaling-up of Startups Program Kick-off Event
The AUB-SPARK Scaling-up of Startups (SSS) Program is a partnership agreement (valued at $150,000+) between the Darwazah Center for Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship (DC) at the American University of Beirut and SPARK, a leading Netherlands-based NGO, and fully funded by the European Union.
The umbrella initiative is extensive and aims to support a broad range of activities to strengthen innovation and startup ecosystems in Lebanon and other Mediterranean Countries.
Why?
According to a World Bank study, close to 4 out of 5 businesses are not able to grow their business to reach $1,000,000/year in revenue! The AUB-SPARK Scaling-up of Startups (SSS) Program helps participating firms develop a Scalable Growth Plan through Actionable Knowledge and Mentoring System.
How?
- First, we train company's senior management team in key areas including company strategy and operation, leadership and human resources, sales and marketing, accounting and finance, negotiation and communication, design thinking and growth planning.
- Second, we offer one-on-one mentoring to companies' senior management teams and help them develop and execute their Scalable Growth Plans, thanks to the support of our team of top-notch instructors and expert business mentors.
Program Timeline
6 Modules Over 16 Weeks
- Design Thinking
- Strategy / Operations
- Marketing / Sales
- Negotiation / Communication
- Finance / Accounting
- Growth Plan
Who can benefit
If you are a founder or manager of a late-stage startup / mature firm who:
- Wants to achieve one Million Dollars in annual revenues.
- Is overwhelmed with too much on your plate every day.
- Is stuck in survival mode and unsure of how to grow.
- Thinks that you can’t afford the time to achieve the desired growth.
- Has challenges in focusing your strategy to develop new products or grow into new markets.
Eligibility Criteria
- Lebanese registered companies that generate approximately between $400,000 – $2,000,000/year in revenue.
- The company should be registered for 5 years or more.
- The company should have between 10 and 40 full-time employees including the founder(s).
- The founder/manager should be ready and keen to grow the business by 2x or more in revenue and value immediately.
- The management team should be hungry for outside perspective, to gain actionable knowledge and work with expert feedback to scale up the business the best way possible.
Company Selection and Recruitment
The company selection and recruitment process is competitive performed by AUB, and the program will be free to selected candidate firms based on agreeing to develop and implement a company growth plan.
As a matter of policy and for a variety of other reasons, the selection process is confidential and the companies that are not selected in this cycle cannot be provided with further feedback or debriefing as to the reasons why they were not selected.
Unsuccessful candidates can always apply to future rounds.
AUB-SPARK Scaling-up of Startups Celebrates Key Achievements During Interim Progress Event