Wael Saade, CEO of Udaress. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L'Orient Today)
Education-focused startup Udaress won the 5th edition of the Startup Competition ESA-HEC Paris on Thursday. The event was organized by L’Orient-Le Jour and the Smart ESA incubator, in partnership with the French embassy, Incubateur HEC, La French Tech Beyrouth, Air France, Light FM, Ed-Innov, TotalEnergies, and the HEC Alumni Lebanon chapter.
"The strength of Lebanon lies in its talents. It was and still is. I am always impressed to see this entrepreneurial spirit come here to ESA each year, to defend ideas, carry projects, and, in a way, shape the future of this country," said Maxence Duault, General director of the ESA Business School in Beirut, during his introductory speech at the final during the student competition.
The final took place with 12 candidates selected after a pre-acceleration program aimed at helping all initial contenders bring their startups to life. "We set up a pre-acceleration program with two goals: to further train the candidates and to make them ambassadors of ESA when they are sent to Europe," explained Karl Gedda, Director of Smart ESA.
To determine the winners, the 12 finalists presented their projects to a jury composed of Francois Sporrer from the French embassy's economic service; Agnes de Geoffroy from the French embassy's cooperation and cultural action service; Laure Daynieh, Director of Air France Lebanon and Levant; Myriam Zarifeh, representative of La French Tech Beyrouth; Elsa Aoun, HEC Paris alumna; Nicole Karkour, Marketing director of L’Orient-Le Jour; Karl Gedda, Director of Smart ESA; and Mario Maakaroun, Legal and human resources director at TotalEnergies.
Winners at the Startup Competition ESA-HEC Paris: Udaress, Cogny, and Eflow
Udaress took the first position, surpassing all competitors. The startup uses artificial intelligence (AI) to enable teachers to create personalized tutors for each student, addressing their learning gaps. "Each student will receive the attention they need to reach their full potential," said Wael Saade, CEO of Udaress. The startup wins a six-month incubation period at Incubateur HEC based at Station F in Paris, one of the largest startup campuses in the world, as well as a plane ticket offered by Air France and a contribution to living expenses in Paris from the French embassy.
Cogny and Eflow took second and third positions, respectively, winning a three-month soft landing — services offered to foreign companies wishing to test their business projects in a region — in Accélérateur M, in Marseille.
Emma Sleiman, Cogny CEO. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L'Orient Today)
Cogny works with computer engineers and neuropsychologists to develop a virtual reality headset that analyzes a child's cognitive system through activities to understand their thoughts and movements. The headset also serves a medical purpose for children with cognitive delays, aiming to help them improve their performance. "It can also become a diagnostic support for other neuropsychological conditions," said Emma Sleiman, CEO of Cogny.
Eflow also focuses on learning by allowing users to set up AI-powered tutors through messaging apps, enabling students to discuss topics and ask questions. "For example, if you want to learn physics, you can chat with a tutor representing Einstein, who will help answer your questions and learn at your own pace," said Bassel Jalaleddine, CEO of Eflow.
Bassel Jalaleddine, CEO of Eflow. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L'Orient Today)
Here are the nine other finalist startups:
Ask Melano: A personalized AI-powered platform that helps users take care of their skin, fight skin cancer, and connect directly with dermatologists.
Zaker: An AI-powered platform that provides exam training with practices and tips from educators.
SandWalk: A platform that allows idea-sharing and funding campaigns to start a new business.
Edu Bolt: Offers students access to personalized courses and training.
Robot X: Develops online computer courses for children from a young age to adolescence through AI.
Qudraty: Offers training programs to aid people with disabilities to integrate.
Youngpreneur: Provides business and entrepreneurship training and courses.
Loop: Raises snails to sell their slime to international cosmetic companies.
Green Taqa: Generates electricity for farmers using biogas emitted by farm animals.