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Lebanon / UK
A “smart” lighter designed to help people quit smoking is one of 15 Lebanese start-ups to take part in a new six-month business accelerator program in London.
The Slighter, from a tech firm based in Beirut, records a smoker’s trends in the first week of use and then sends them notifications when they are “allowed” to smoke, to help them cut down gradually. Even if users cheat and smoke out of schedule, the Slighter will still work out when they can light up again. It also allows friends who are quitting to share progress. Inventor Samer el Gharib plans to make the Slighter in the UK.
The six-month accelerator program, coordinated by the UK-Lebanon Tech Hub, includes courses at UK universities and meetings with investors and UK tech entrepreneurs. The tech hub is a joint initiative by Lebanon’s central bank and the UK government.