Innovation:
Single Offerings
Experiencing Israel's burgeoning high-tech ecosystem and understanding the underlying social and economic conditions that lead to such success allows students to appreciate the global impact of Israeli technology and better understand the cultural factors that contribute to its development.
Viva Sarah Press
Activity description:
Hear the personal stories behind the Startup Nation, find out why Israeli innovation (and chutzpah) is changing the hi-tech world and our lives, and discuss the impact of women in Israel’s thriving hi-tech world. Press also offers custom presentations on niche themes such as health tech innovation, social justice “Tikkun Olam” advances, food-tech inventions, and more.
Viva Sarah Press brings the stories of Israeli innovation to life. A journalist for over two decades, she has held senior editorial positions in television, online media, and print. In addition to her role as a storyteller, Press is a researcher who focuses on human-computer interaction. She is part of a diverse UX team working on a new children’s product, a mentor for journalism students, and a TA in an ethics and technology course at Reichman University. She studied journalism at the University of King’s College in Halifax, therapeutic clowning at the Kibbutzim College of Education, and did her MA in human-computer interaction at Reichman University.
Medium
Tel Aviv
.jpg)
Tech it Forward
Activity description:
Head out on a tailor-made visit to a company in a technology sector of interest to you and your group, or meet a leader in that industry. Get an overview of the Israeli tech ecosystem, find out why Israel is known as the Startup Nation, and dissect the characteristics of the Israeli entrepreneur. You can also take a lab innovation tour and visit an incubator lab that specializes in health, food tech, or robotics
Tech It Forward connects international audiences with the exciting and unique Israeli startup ecosystem, the second largest in the world. The organization aims to boost knowledge, create international connections, and inspire others through custom-built tours and meetings with Israeli hi-tech companies and entrepreneurs.
Other
Tel Aviv/Jerusalem/
Haifa/Beer Sheva
8200 Impact
Activity description:
Explore how IDF innovation is helping to drive the country’s startup and hi-tech fields, meet alumni and representatives of the elite 8200 intelligence unit, and hear how the unit shares its insights, skills, and creativity with civilian entrepreneurs.
Founded by alumni of the elite 8200 IDF intelligence unit in 2013, 8200 IMPACT is an accelerator for impact-tech startups that aim to solve significant local or global social or environmental problems through advanced technology. This program aims to harness the human capital of 8200 alumni for the benefit of society.
.jpg)
JEST
Activity description:
Visit JEST’s hi-tech hub/accelerator in East Jerusalem and learn about entrepreneurship and innovation in the Palestinian community.
An East Jerusalem-based NGO, JEST was launched to plant the seeds of a local entrepreneurial community. The program revolves around a physical hub for existing and aspiring entrepreneurs in various stages of development and strives to increase the number of established startups, accelerate processes, create job opportunities, and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among East Jerusalem residents.
Low
Jerusalem
Bio Tours / Sde Eliyahu
Activity description:
Join an interactive tour of the “Bio-Bee” fields and learn about environmentally-friendly ways to protect crops using flies, bees, and owls rather than pesticides. You’ll see how this collective kibbutz is thriving in 21st-century Israel and is strengthening environmentalism in the international marketplace.
Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu is a religious community in Northern Israel and a pioneer of commercial organic farming and biological pest control in Israel. The community activity provides unique insight into conventional and organic farming, the communal lifestyle, and innovation in agriculture through biological pest control.
Other
North
Dov Moran
Activity description:
Meet Dov Moran, one of the founding fathers of the Israeli hi-tech industry, and hear his unique story, and learn from his many years of entrepreneurial experience. Learn why the road to success is paved with failure and get practical tips that will help you achieve your dreams.
Dov Moran, Managing Partner of Grove Ventures, is one of the most prominent Israeli global hi-tech leaders. He is an investor, inventor, and entrepreneur who is best known as the inventor of the USB flash drive. Moran founded M-Systems, acquired by SanDisk for $US 1.6 billion in 2006. He also served as the chairman of Tower Semiconductors, a developer and manufacturer of semiconductors and integrated circuits, and was awarded multiple prizes, including Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” award, the Edward Rheine award, the Johnson Information Storage Systems Award, and the Netexplo Talent of the Year award. He holds Honorary Doctorates from Israel's Academic Center of Law & Science, the Moscow State Technical University, and the Technion—the Israeli Institute of Technology. His first book, ‘100 Doors'—An Introduction to Entrepreneurship’ includes insights from his unique path.
High
Tel Aviv
Shafdan Wastewater Treatment
Activity description:
Visit the Shafdan Wastewater Treatment Plant, which reclaims water for agriculture from cities in the greater Tel Aviv region, and learn how this one-of-a-kind system works.
Israel reuses about 90 percent of its wastewater effluent for agricultural operations. With over $700 million dollars in investments and the capacity to implement advanced tertiary treatment in addition to primary and secondary treatment, wastewater reclamation has provided Israel with an avenue for stimulating economic growth while bolstering the country’s resilience to the extreme drought conditions brought on by climate change. The Dan Region Wastewater Treatment Plant (Shafdan), one of the largest and most advanced facilities of its kind in the world, is a complex inter-regional system that collects, treats, and reclaims municipal wastewater in high-density urban areas and industrial zones.
Other
Center
.jpg)
_JPG.jpg)
Gilad Carni
Activity description:
Discuss Israeli innovation and the Startup Nation with Gilad Carni, visit hi-tech companies, or listen to an industry-specific or general innovation panel.
Gilad Carni is a prominent player in the Israeli hi-tech scene. He founded and sold two companies—GC Marketing Services, an online promotional staffing agency based in New York City, and ChatVibes, the first two-way browser-based voice and video add-on for Facebook. In addition to being a serial entrepreneur and founding additional companies, he is also an active angel investor and the first investor to sell an Israeli company to Google. Carni has taken part in numerous television programs and documentaries about the Israeli tech industry and is now the Founder & CEO of the UAE Israel Innovation Office as well as the founder of "Innovation Israel" which promotes Israeli technology and innovation worldwide. Carni holds an MBA in International Marketing and Entrepreneurship from the University of South Florida, is a volunteer policeman, and also volunteers with United Hatzalah providing emergency medical care.
Other
Israel
Arava Institute
Activity description:
On a visit to the Arava institute you can:
-
Meet an expert to explore a range of environmental issues from a regional, interdisciplinary perspective.
-
Meet Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian, and international students and get their perspectives on the environment, peacebuilding, and leadership.
-
Tour an “off-grid” village.
-
Visit a park that demonstrates sustainable technology that can be used in developing countries around the world
-
Bike tour around the experimental orchard and solar field
The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies is a leading environmental teaching and research program in the Middle East that prepares future Jordanian, Palestinian, Israeli, and international leaders to cooperatively solve the region’s environmental challenges. Located in the heart of Israel’s Arava desert, the Arava Institute works with the understanding that “nature knows no borders” and builds trust by advancing cross-border environmental research, cooperation, and discourse. The institute’s interdisciplinary academic study and research programs focus on finding local, sustainable, peace-building solutions to the shared environmental challenges of the region. The institute has now moved beyond academics and research to engage governments and NGOs, impact environmental policies in the region, and foster cross-border cooperation.
Low
South
.jpg)
Jon Medved
Activity description:
Hear Medved lecture on topics such as:
-
COVID and leadership in times of crisis
-
From startup nation to scaleup nation
-
Successful angel investing in Israeli tech companies
-
Innovation in sustainable food tech and urban agritech
-
The latest and greatest of the Israeli ecosystem
-
Lessons from three decades of startup investing: What makes a startup worth betting on?
Jonathan Medved is the founder and CEO of OurCrowd, a leading online global venture investment platform with 180,000 accredited members, $1.8 billion in funding commitments, 300+ portfolio companies, 35 venture funds, and 56 exits. Medved himself is a serial entrepreneur and investor, and one of the pioneers of Israel’s venture capital industry. A California native, Medved moved to Israel in his twenties, successfully built and sold several startups, and has been named “one of Israel’s leading hi-tech venture capitalists” by the Washington Post and among the “top 10 most influential Americans who have impacted Israel” by the New York Times. Medved is a regular television guest on CNN, BBC, CNBC, Bloomberg TV, and SkyNews, has backed over 400 tech startups as a venture capitalist and angel investor, and served on the boards of various non-profits.
High
Jerusalem
Milk & Honey Distillery
Activity description:
Take a tasting tour of the innovative Milk & Honey Whisky Distillery, Israel’s first-ever whisky distillery. Learn how Israel got into the scotch game, see the stages of making spirits from grain to glass, and raise your own glass in celebration of your journey. L’chaim—Cheers!
A unique type of Israeli innovation that doesn’t take no for an answer, M&H is Israel’s first whiskey distillery. M&H was established in 2013 by a group of young Israeli entrepreneurs with a commitment to the highest international standards of quality and respect for the centuries-old traditions of whisky making. The distillery pursues perfection in every aspect, from its custom-made traditional copper pot stills to quality control throughout the process. In April 2023, Milk & Honey was awarded the title of ‘world’s best single malt’ by the “World’s Whiskies Awards”. Today, award-winning M&H whiskies are available in over 40 countries, telling their bold story with unrelenting innovation in every bottle.
Medium
Tel Aviv
.jpg)
Ramat Negev Desert Agro-Research Center
Activity description:
Meet with an expert from the Ramat Negev Desert Agro-Research Center, and go on a tour that showcases the astounding achievements in the field of desert agro-tech innovation. You can also visit Israel's largest solar-powered station, where a 200-meter unique solar-thermal hybrid tower generates green electricity, hear about the environmental challenges posed by this massive project, and the creative solutions that have been developed to address them.
Ramat Negev Desert Agro-Research Center is one of the world's leading facilities in desert agriculture. Founded in 1981 in the heart of the Israeli desert, the center is focused on growing food in semi-arid and arid zones. The center has extensive experience in conducting applied research and aims to constantly improve crop diversity and yield focusing on water supply (brackish water/desalination), various soil types, fertilization, pest control, as well as utilizing cutting-edge Israeli developments and technologies. Research is conducted in collaboration with academic institutions and in full cooperation with neighboring farms to provide practical solutions that are tested in real conditions and implemented immediately. The Ramat HaNegev Center also trains students from overseas and has supported agricultural activities in numerous countries.
Other
South
LGBTech
Activity description:
Uncover the story of the LGBTQ+ community in Israel and Israel's struggle for inclusiveness through a wide variety of lectures, panels, workshops, and life stories of community members, particularly in the world of hi-tech and finance.
LGBTech was founded in 2011 by Shachar Grembek, a tech and social entrepreneur. When he came out of the closet at work, he faced challenges that made him realize that the work culture in Israel still has a long way to go. He set out on a journey to make the workforce more diverse and inclusive for the LGBTQ+ community by founding LGBTech, which aims to allow LGBTQ+ employees to bring 100% of themselves to work. Meanwhile, they fight for diversity and inclusion for LGBTQ+ people in the workforce by promoting public policy change, working hand-in-hand with global and local companies, and supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
Medium
Israel
.jpg)
Kibbutz Magal - Netafim R&D Greenhouse
Innovation Center
Activity description:
Visit Kibbutz Magal for an eye-opening glimpse into
innovation and communal life in the 21st century. See elements of the
Israeli agrotech industry that has become a world leader in agricultural
innovation, visit a state-of-the-art wine press, and learn how a socialist
community saved millions from hunger around the world with the
revolutionary drip irrigation technology.
Situated in the northern Sharon Valley south of Haifa, Kibbutz Magal is an
agricultural center growing olives, almonds, and pomegranates. The
kibbutz is also the co-owner of Netafim, the world’s largest provider of drip
irrigation systems, with a global market share of 30%. Netafim also
manufactures and distributes crop management technologies, including
monitoring and control systems, dosing systems, and crop management
software, as well as a variety of services, including managed irrigation,
agronomical consultation, and operation and maintenance.
Medium
Kibbutz Migal
AnD Ventures
Activity description:
Explore the Israeli venture capital ecosystem! AnD welcomes groups in its offices or meets them in their location, and takes you on a journey through the evolution of the startup scene while showcasing industry trends. Sample focus topics include: From ‘Startup Nation’ to ‘Growth Nation’; How to invest in Israeli tech portfolio companies; Women-led events; Meet the entrepreneurs; Deep dive into the latest AI & machine learning tech; and a round table with key industry leaders.
AnD Ventures is a leading private equity VC fund focused on early-stage investment in Israeli tech startups. AnD Ventures provides 360° support to its portfolio investments and incubates promising startups, nurturing and developing their technology, network, business models, products, and more to position the companies in the ideal entry point to scale growth. AnD has founded and managed acceleration programs for tech giants including Google, Microsoft, Amdocs, and Deloitte.
Low
Herzliya
Keren Hod - WE (Women Entrepreneur)
Activity description:
Join an inspiring session with Keren Hod, founder and CEO of WE: Women Entrepreneurship, as she shares the journey of transforming a small initiative in Be’er Sheva into a global leader collaborating with top institutions and industry figures. Keren will delve into her personal experiences, exploring the challenges, breakthroughs, and pivotal moments that defined her path as a young entrepreneur. As an expert in entrepreneurship, Keren also delivers lectures on topics like "How to Start a Venture from Scratch," business communication, personal branding, and more. Each lecture can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your organization, making this a unique opportunity to gain valuable insights into building impactful ventures through determination and vision.
Keren Hod is the Founder and CEO of WE – Women Entrepreneurship, an international organization dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs. With a vibrant community of 40,000 members, WE supports women in launching successful startups, with its alumni raising millions of dollars in funding. The initiative, which began at Ben-Gurion University in southern Israel, has expanded to prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Columbia, and NYU. Keren holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Management from Ben-Gurion University and is a graduate of the elite Unit 8200 in the Israeli Intelligence Corps. Her professional journey includes roles as a technology consultant at Deloitte and an R&D Project Manager at HCI. Currently, she also serves as a board member of the Israel-Greece Chamber of Commerce, lectures at universities, and writes for Forbes and other publications. Recognized for her achievements, Keren was named to Forbes' "30 Under 30" list in 2021.
High
South/Center/North Jerusalem
Lital Leshem - Protego
Activity description:
Join Lital Leshem, an accomplished entrepreneur and co-founder of Protego Ventures, for an engaging session offering two distinct perspectives. Hear Lital’s inspiring story, from her leadership in groundbreaking startups like Carbyne to her military service as a Major (Res.) in the IDF, and discover how the events of October 7th and the ensuing war led her to establish Protego Ventures, a $150M early growth fund driving innovation in defense technologies to address urgent security challenges. Alternatively, delve into a comprehensive background on the defense technology industry, exploring the rise of venture-backed innovation, dual-use applications, and the global partnerships shaping the future of security. Gain insights into how advancements in AI, UAVs, big data, and sensors are transforming the defense landscape. Whether focusing on her personal journey or the broader industry, this session offers valuable knowledge and inspiration from one of the leading figures in defense innovation.
Lital Leshem is an American-Israeli entrepreneur, corporate advisor, and co-founder of Carbyne, a trailblazing emergency communication technology startup. Under her leadership, Carbyne raised $128 million, securing support from renowned investors like Hanaco VC and Founders Fund. After transitioning to a board member and shareholder role, she spent five years as a Partner at Frontier Resource Group, managing strategic investments in defense, aviation, and cybersecurity in emerging markets. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Lital is also a founding member of the UAE Israel Business Council. With 11 years of military and intelligence service as a Major (Res.) in the IDF Southern Command, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership in national security. Following the events of October 7th, Lital co-founded Protego Ventures, a $150M early growth fund backed by David Kaplan of Ares Management. Protego invests in cutting-edge defense technologies like AI, UAVs, sensors, and big data, empowering innovation with global impact.
Low
Tel Aviv
Barak Herscowitz
Activity description:
Meet Barak Herscowitz for an Eye-Opening Discussion on the Hidden War Against Democracy. Based on his firsthand experience as a former TikTok insider, Barak Hershkovitz reveals the alarming rise of antisemitic and anti-Israeli content on social networks. His decision to resign from TikTok in 2023 exposed severe biases within the platform, becoming a key topic in a Senate hearing with TikTok’s CEO. Barak will delve into how social media platforms are weaponized to manipulate public opinion, spread misinformation, and undermine democratic values. He will also explore what steps can be taken to address these growing threats.
Barak Herscowitz is a prominent advocate against digital antisemitism and an expert in public opinion, social media policy, and national security. He gained widespread recognition as the Jewish TikTok Whistleblower after exposing severe antisemitic and anti-Israeli biases on the platform. In addition to his activism, Barak has extensive experience in Israeli politics, having served as a strategic advisor to former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. He played a key role in shaping nationwide governmental strategies and campaigns. Barak holds a master’s degree in Public Policy from Tel Aviv University and is an alumnus of a prestigious program at NYU. Through his lectures and advocacy, he educates audiences on the hidden threats of digital platforms and the urgent need for accountability in the digital age. Today, Barak hosts the online show "Unpopular Opinion," writes and lectures on public policy, strategic influence, and social media, and continues to lead discussions on the strategic challenges facing Israel and democracies worldwide.
High
North/South/Center/Jerusalem