2025 UNITAR Entrepreneurship and Food Security Training for Young Innovators

📖 About the Program

The UNITAR RISE LAB: Igniting Youth Potential in Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon through Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Economic Resilience is a program designed to equip young entrepreneurs and innovators with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to transform their ideas into businesses or grow and scale their current ventures.

• Supported by: The Government and people of Japan
• Target Audience: Aspiring entrepreneurs and agribusiness innovators in Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon
• Participants: 500 motivated and qualified young individuals aged 18–40
• Focus Areas: Food security and private sector development

By the end of the program, participants will have a launch-ready blueprint for their new businesses or be prepared to pitch their existing businesses for growth. Participants will also build lifelong connections with fellow youth entrepreneurs in their country and beyond.

📅 Program Timeline

The program will run from May 2025 to March 2026 in three phases:

1. Phase 1 & 2: Online sessions combining self-paced lessons, discussion forums, webinars, and lectures by subject matter experts with both regional and global exposure.
2. Phase 3: In-person workshop (location to be confirmed) for top-performing participants from each country. This phase will focus on:
   • Experiential learning
   • Peer-to-peer networking
   • Mentorship
   • Study tours

🎯 Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Residency: Women and youth in Egypt, Iraq, or Lebanon
• Age: 18–40 years old
• Profile:
  • Entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, and recent graduates
  • Individuals with an existing business seeking to scale operations
  • Individuals with a concrete idea that can be developed into a business
• Special Consideration: Women and men from disadvantaged backgrounds and those involved in agribusiness are especially encouraged to apply.

🌟 Benefits of the Program

Economic and Employment-Related Skills

• Use entrepreneurial methodologies, tools, and best practices to develop solutions for food security challenges.
• Identify alternative sources of employment and livelihood opportunities during economic downturns and periods of food scarcity.
• Apply strategic management and innovation techniques to projects and initiatives.
• Evaluate value chains to address food insecurity while considering public health, economic, and gender equality impacts.

Technical and Innovation Skills

• Identify and apply appropriate technological innovations, including climate-resilient agricultural practices and digital technologies (e.g., AI), to overcome environmental obstacles and tackle food insecurity.

Collaboration and Partnership Skills

• Establish and sustain public-private partnerships.
• Facilitate connections between grassroots/smallholder farmers and local/regional markets to access local, regional, and global supply chains.

📝 Application Process

• Deadline: Midnight 20 June 2025 (UTC+3)
• How to Apply:
  • Complete the Registration Form.
  • Review the 2025 UNITAR Entrepreneurship and Food Security Training Flyer for more details.

📌 Key Details

• Date Published: June 02, 2025
• Application Deadline: June 20, 2025
• Eligible Locations: Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon
• Sponsor Organization: United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

🔗 Additional Resources

• UNITAR Entrepreneurship and Food Security Training Details
• Apply for the Program

📅 Application Deadline

20 June 2025 (Midnight UTC+3)

This program offers a unique opportunity to develop entrepreneurial skills, foster innovation, and contribute to food security and economic resilience in the region. Don't miss out! Apply now!

• Use entrepreneurial methodologies, tools and best practices to develop solutions for food security challenges and introduce innovative concepts.
• Identify alternative sources of employment and opportunities for livelihood during economic downturns and periods of food scarcity.
• Apply strategic management and innovation techniques and tools to their projects/initiatives.
• Evaluate value chains to pinpoint key areas to address food insecurity, considering their anticipated outcomes, resource utilization and impact on other public health, economic and gender equality issues.
• Identify appropriate technological innovations, including climate-resilient agricultural and aquacultural practices and uses of digital technologies, including AI, to overcome environmental obstacles, bolster community resilience and tackle food insecurity.
• Establish and sustain public-private partnerships and facilitate connections between grassroots/smallholder farmers and local/regional markets, enabling access to local, regional and global supply chains.