STARTAC

Forum of Israeli academic innovation &
entrepreneurship centers

WHO WE ARE

In April 2020, at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Forum of Israeli Academic Entrepreneurship & Innovation Centers was established under the name STARTAC. These centers offer a unique, highly adaptive and flexible platform within the academic landscape; one which exposes students and faculty to the exciting world of entrepreneurship, allowing them hands-on experience under the tutelage and guidance of professional mentors

STARTAC’s mission is to establish a collaborative mode of operation in order to rise up to the tremendous economic, social, and occupational challenges we are facing. In this spirit, STARTAC intends to be a predominant actor in the realization of “the New Campus” vision, both within Academia and the Israeli entrepreneurial ecosystem. STARTAC will encourage the sharing of best practices, promote inter-institutional ventures, and will help boost collaboration on the national level with governmental bodies and with business partners.

“The value of an idea lies in the using of it.“

Thomas Edison

UPCOMING EVENTS

25-10-2021 – “Investing in Academic Entrepreneurship” An inter-sectoral dialogue and exposure event on Oct. 25th 2021 3:30-7pm in Jerusalem. The goal of the event is to expose to the VC community the increasingly important role that academic entrepreneurship and innovation plays in the development of the Israeli start-up ecosystem. The Council for Higher Education launched an initiative, in 2018, to help realize the potential of the academic campus as a bedrock of creativity, and a hothouse for groundbreaking projects, combining the best minds and talents with the best mentorship. More than 65 million NIS have been invested in this initiative, which helped the creation of academic innovation and entrepreneurship centers in 7 universities and 8 colleges, producing more than 300 projects to date. "Investing in Academic Entrepreneurship" aims to establish an open dialogue around how VCs can be more involved in ventures that originate and grow on academic campuses. Its first part will feature roundtable discussions to learn from the VC community what are the obstacles for greater involvement on its part, and brainstorm together with stakeholders from Academia and the government (IIA) about successful models for early engagement. The second part is a networking cocktail with the heads of the entrepreneurship and innovation centers.

28-10-2021 – The International Soft Skills Academy Make the most of this autumn and come learn to be the best version of yourself. Invest in soft skills, learn practical tools that will give you an advantage, and sharpen the abilities that will push you forward. The sessions will take place on Oct 21- Nov 3, 2021.

31-10-2021 – Startup Sunday When was the last time you met Pashuta - face to face?! We’re thrilled to share that on the 31/10/21 we’ll be hosting an event starring Pashuta! The event will take place at Beer Bazaar, Jaffa St. 163, “Rashut Hashidur”. Registration is free but spots are incredibly limited!

31-10-2021 – The Sheba Human Experience Challenge.2 Future by HIT, together with the Sheba Medical Center, and the Association of Engineers, invites you to take part in the hackathon, which deals with promoting innovation in the health system.Take part in building an innovative and creative solution that meets real challenges in the health system.

03-12-2021 – International Hackathon – Environment | Sustainability | Global climate crisis An international hackathon event with the participation of students from the Tel Hai Academic College and students from the University of Lucerne in Switzerland. Participants will compete to find creative solutions to authentic problems of Ziv Hospital which is located in the Upper Galilee. Event partners - Migal International Research Institute, Margalit Startup City Galilee and ORT Braude College of Engineering.

31-05-2022 – Demo Day – HandZone- Wave#3- Future By HIT Join us for an In-person showcase of our very best early-stage, high potential entrepreneurs from FUTURE- HIT’s Entrepreneurship Center. **************************************** We are delighted to invite you to the HandZone’s Accelerator Demo Day 2022 on Tuesday, 31st May 2022, an In-person showcase of our very best early-stage, high potential entrepreneurs from HIT - Holon Institute of technology! This year’s Demo Day will give you a front-row seat to hear from innovative startups who are solving problems in several verticals such as HR-Tech, ED-Tech, WEB 3.0, and more. We hope you will be able to join us to celebrate the graduation of the HandZone’s Cohort III. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/handzone3-demo-day-tickets-327312228687

FEATURED START UPS

Food for Power

Aluma Optimizing Outdoor Light Planning

DASE High Speed Learning Technology

AIdream Optimizing the path of personalized goals

Algaeing Algae based textile

Safe Talk Creating Strong, Safe and Involved Communities

Drfit Sense Precise Pesticide Treatment

ENTITYMED When beauty meets AI

Applicodrama Psychodrama AI platform

RAFIKA Dietary supplement for Alzheimer's symptoms

SillyfeetWeight measurement made simple

Eye Can Swimming aid for the visually impaired

Heady World most compact helmet - micromobility made safe

STUDY IN ISRAEL

Israelis are known as out-of-the-box thinkers, risk takers that never take no for an answer. These qualities are what make Israel the “Start-Up Nation” and are the reason leading companies from around the world chose to open R&D centers in Israel. This sense of innovation is rooted in Israel’s higher education institutions, with many academic programs targeted for students who want to succeed in business and entrepreneurship. Some programs include opportunities to undertake internships in leading companies from around the world, giving you the opportunity to advance your career development.

“The secret of change is to focus all of
your energy, not on fighting the old, but
building on the new.“

INNOVATION CENTERS

We are talking about teamwork

IN THE PRESS

ASPER-HUJI Innovate was awarded the prestigious international prize: "Outstanding Emerging Entrepreneurship Center" at the annual conference of the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers in Higher Education (GCEC). The Hebrew University shares this award alongside Yale University and East Carolina University. The GCEC includes 300 Universities from around the world and the prize is presented once a year.

Ynet | 22.10.2021 | Hebrew University

Gustavo Mesch, rector of University of Haifa, said: “The true mission of an academic institution is to give students the tools and means to develop innovative solutions and learn how to implement them. “Our goal is to enable every student at Haifa University to understand and reach their potential.”

| 27.05.2020 | University of Haifa

The University of Haifa is buoyed on by perpetual innovation and enterprise. In 2019, it debuted the Haifa Innovation Labs, or, as students know it, the HIL — a program that nurtures entrepreneurship by combining academics with hands-on experience. Open to all students, it aims to design a better world through courses on topics such as business planning for start-ups; the innovation process for new products; and developing interpersonal skills.

| | University of Haifa

The University of Haifa has become the latest Israeli university to launch a student venture capital fund, seeking to boost entrepreneurship on campus by investing in start-ups run by students, academics and recent graduates. The HIL Fund was established by the University of Haifa Innovation Labs (HIL) in partnership with fresh.fund.

The Jerusalem Post | 24.05.2020 | University of Haifa

A special slide that will make food purchased in the deli accessible to consumers sitting in wheelchairs, a special device for carrying bags when buying and a hearing solution that will make it easier for visually impaired people to purchase in stores - these were some ideas raised by students studying at HIT Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

גלובס | 26.05.2021 | FUTURE by HIT

A special guest arrived last week at the accelerator that was recently inaugurated at HIT Holon Institute of Technology. Miguel Torrogressa, who serves as the digital director of the Futbol Club Barcelona, hosted the venue and introduced the start-ups and startups to some of the club's digital moves, and the platforms aimed at contributing to the fan experience as well as the team's profits.

| 14.07.2019 | FUTURE by HIT

Forum of Israeli academic innovation & entrepreneurship centers