TL;DR Lebanon is a market of under six million people where money sent home by relatives abroad is worth about a third of the economy. Ideas that fit here keep homes and businesses running when public services fall short, help skilled people earn from clients abroad, or sell to the tourism and food trades that still bring in hard currency.

The market in numbers

  • Population: about 5.85 million in 2025[1].
  • GDP per capita: about US$4,470 in 2024[2].
  • Internet use: about 81% of people were online in 2024[3].
  • Remittances: personal remittances received were about 33% of GDP in 2023[4].
  • Tourism: international tourism receipts were about 27% of exports in 2020, the latest year in the series[5].
  • Unemployment: about 11% in 2023 (modelled ILO estimate)[6].
  • Currency: the Lebanese pound (LBP).

What founders here actually have to work with

Start with the remittance number, because it shapes everything. When a third of GDP arrives from relatives abroad[4], a lot of household spending is decided by someone in another country, and that person is a customer too.

The second thing is that the banking system has been in crisis for years. Company setup advisers report that many banks refuse accounts for newly formed companies and cap withdrawals[7], so any idea that depends on card payments or bank loans needs a plan B from day one.

Then there's the gap between what people can do and what the local market can pay. With most people online[3], selling skills to clients abroad is often a better first business than selling to neighbours. Physical ideas work best where people already spend their own money to fill a gap left by the state, like power and water [Requires validation].

Ideas that fit Lebanon

All of these were researched for India. The rupee costs, Indian licences and Indian payment rails don't carry over, so treat each one as a brief to rework.

Power and water at home

  • Islehold: Built for housing societies that pair solar with a diesel genset, it maps closely onto buildings that already share a private generator. You'd need to work with the generator owner, not around them.
  • Humcheck: Sensors that warn before pumps and generators fail suit buildings that can't afford a breakdown. Sell it to building committees as cheap insurance.
  • Panelfair: Families buying rooftop solar need someone neutral to check the quote and the installation. A fee-only checker with no supplier ties is the whole pitch.
  • Candlepay: Pay-as-you-go locks on solar batteries could help dealers sell to families short on cash. UPI doesn't exist here, so you'd rebuild the instalment side around whatever collection channel people actually use [Requires validation].
  • Tankscore: Many buildings top up water from tankers, and a meter plus a weekly scorecard shows who uses what. Start with one building and sell the fairness story.
  • Leakfinder: Leak surveys paid per verified leak suit a water utility or a large estate. Expect slow sales to public bodies.

Earning from abroad

  • Paidtrace: Freelancers selling to foreign clients need proof they're reliable. Checked references and payment history help them win work.
  • Heddlepay: Collecting overseas payments for craft groups and splitting them among members fits makers selling to the diaspora. The payout leg needs a fresh look given the banking limits[7].
  • Deskmoat: Small firms that export services get asked hard security questions by foreign buyers. A fixed-price security baseline gets them through.

Health

  • Coldspare: Private hospitals need a fallback when ransomware hits. Pitch it to a single hospital group first.
  • Slidewise: Subspecialist second reads of biopsy slides could link smaller hospitals with specialists in Beirut or abroad. This is decision support, not diagnosis, and the reporting doctor stays in charge. Check the health ministry's rules first [Requires validation].
  • Limbscan: Phone-scan design with central fabrication helps limb-fitting clinics serve more people. It needs certified prosthetists in the loop.

Tourism, food and heritage

  • Ratecove: Guesthouses and small hotels outside Beirut need help with pricing and bookings. Swap the Goa paperwork for Lebanon's own tourism rules [Requires validation].
  • Ruinsquest: Audio and AR trails at historic sites can work for school trips and visitors alike. Get the site authority on board before you build.
  • Hotelgreens: Rooftop growing beds on hotels and hospitals cut what kitchens buy in. Run the numbers on water use first.
  • Hiveproof: Hive-to-jar records and purity checks help honey producers sell abroad with proof. Check what each buyer country asks for.
  • Larderly: End-of-day surplus from bakeries sold as discounted bags suits price-conscious neighbourhoods. It's a low-cost start with a phone and a few partner shops.

Rules to check before you start

Companies are recorded in the commercial register, which the Ministry of Justice runs through the courts, split into a public register for merchants and companies and a special register for commercial establishments[8]. The Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL) is the national body for investment incentives[9]. The central bank is Banque du Liban, and the tax authority sits under the Ministry of Finance [Requires validation]. Health, food export and tourism ideas each carry their own approvals [Requires validation].

This is a starting list, not legal advice. Check with a local lawyer or the agency itself.

Questions founders ask

Services sold to clients abroad cost the least to start and get paid in foreign currency. Paidtrace and Deskmoat above need skills and contacts far more than capital.

Do foreigners need a local partner to start a company in Lebanon?

I couldn't confirm a general local partner rule from an official source, so check with the commercial register at the Ministry of Justice or a Lebanese lawyer before you commit.

How do I handle payments with the banks restricted?

Plan for it upfront. Advisers report that new companies struggle to open accounts and that withdrawals are capped[7], so test how your customers actually pay before you build anything that depends on a bank.

Talk to Yash

In Lebanon the question I'd ask first is who pays and in what currency, and I'm happy to work through that with you. If you need a hand, you know where to find me.

Talk to Yash →

Sources

  1. World Bank, "Population, total: Lebanon", 2025. https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/LBN/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?format=json&mrv=1
  2. World Bank, "GDP per capita (current US$): Lebanon", 2024. https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/LBN/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.CD?format=json&mrv=1
  3. World Bank (ITU data), "Individuals using the Internet (% of population): Lebanon", 2024. https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/LBN/indicator/IT.NET.USER.ZS?format=json&mrv=1
  4. World Bank, "Personal remittances, received (% of GDP): Lebanon", 2023. https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/LBN/indicator/BX.TRF.PWKR.DT.GD.ZS?format=json&mrv=1
  5. World Bank, "International tourism, receipts (% of total exports): Lebanon", 2020. https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/LBN/indicator/ST.INT.RCPT.XP.ZS?format=json&mrv=1
  6. World Bank (ILO modelled estimate), "Unemployment, total (% of total labor force): Lebanon", 2023. https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/LBN/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS?format=json&mrv=1
  7. Expanship, "Disadvantages of Incorporating in Lebanon", 2026-05-15. https://www.expanship.com/lb/blog/disadvantages-of-incorporating-in-lebanon
  8. Ministry of Justice, Lebanon, "Commercial Registry", 2026. https://justice.gov.lb/index.php/department-details/4/1
  9. Investment Development Authority of Lebanon, home page, 2026. https://investinlebanon.gov.lb/

For illustration only. Names are fictional and ideas hypothetical; sourced facts are real but may be out of date. Nothing here is legal, financial or professional advice, and Yash Khatri is not personally liable for any use of it. Read the full disclaimer.