Garbaliser, a startup firm specializing in liquid fertilizer, has earned acclaim for its forward-thinking agricultural practices, providing a cleaner and more bountiful harvest compared to conventional chemical fertilizers. Based in Lebanon’s Baalbek region, the company caters to a clientele exceeding 400. Bolstered by a fruitful collaboration in the UAE and substantial backing from Shark Tank Dubai, Garbaliser is poised to enter the UAE market in 2024, with aspirations for further expansion into Jordan and other GCC nations.
Securing a $436,000 investment in exchange for a 12% equity stake, Garbaliser’s success stemmed from its participation in the Shark Tank Dubai program.
Founded in 2020 by sisters Hanan and Zeinab Ismail, Garbaliser emerged as a creative solution to Lebanon’s mounting waste management crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 lockdown and economic turbulence. Initially conceived to tackle waste separation, the sisters pivoted due to scant support amid the turbulent socio-political climate.
Undeterred, they pivoted towards developing organic fertilizer from bio-waste, culminating in a patented liquid fertilizer seamlessly integrated into existing irrigation systems for large-scale agricultural use. This innovation not only overcame practical challenges associated with compost but also revived their initial waste separation concept. Their product, ‘Al-Hadum’ (The Digestor), streamlines waste separation, facilitating liquid fertilizer production while offering reduced pricing to clients. Collaborations with Zero Waste and Dekkanet El-Nes bolstered their ecosystem for sustainable living practices.
Despite lacking agricultural backgrounds—Hanan’s expertise lies in banking, finance, and marketing, with ongoing PhD studies in economics, while Zeinab is an electrical engineer—the sisters made remarkable progress. Participation in Jusoor’s Agriculture Small Business Accelerator in 2022 proved pivotal, refining their model, developing prototypes, and honing their pitching skills, especially beneficial with the program’s Arabic-language delivery.
Initially focused on Lebanon, exposure at global events like Dubai Expo 2020 and COP28 in Dubai unveiled international opportunities, attracting interest from businesses and governments. Collaborations, notably with UAE inventor Reem Al-Marzouki for clean water from bio-waste, underscored Garbaliser’s collaborative ethos. Their success on Shark Tank Dubai and subsequent investment from Ground Up Capital Fund in the USA marked a significant milestone towards global expansion.
