Reichman University hosted 30 MBA students from Columbia University for an intensive week in Israel in which they explored Israel’s high-tech economy while learning from top Reichman University lecturers. The Columbia delegation teamed up with 15 MBA students from Reichman University for the one-off course, titled “A Close Look at the Startup Nation in Israel”, which provided them with a unique opportunity to delve into the Israeli innovation world and network with budding local entrepreneurs.
The idea for the course emerged when Prof. Jacob Goldenberg of Reichman University’s Arison School of Business and Prof. Oded Netzer of Columbia Business School collaborated in a bid to showcase how Israel’s high-tech ecosystem along with its vibrant entrepreneurial culture play a significant role in the country’s technological success.
Every morning of the action-filled week began with informative classes at Reichman University led by Goldenberg and Dr. Oren Zuckerman, founder of Reichman University’s Media Innovation Lab and the academic director of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Global MBA track. The lectures explored Israel’s models for innovation as well as emerging topics such as the value of User Experience and the Internet of Things.
Following the morning lecutres, the students went out into the field, attending talks and having meetings with top entrepreneurs, investors and managers, including Eden Shochat, co-founder at Aleph Venture Capitcal, Esther Barak Landes, founder and CEO of Nielsen Innovate, and Guy Gamzu, a prominent angel investor. They also visited the offices of successful companies, startups and accelerators such as Wix, Our Crows, PlayBuzz, Zebra Medical Vision and Think Rise. This combination of academic expertise and interactions with industry leaders was at the heart of the program.
The Columbia students also spent a significant amount of time networking and forging relationships with some of Israel’s top MBA students, and many began laying plans for future American-Israeli collaborations.
Columbia University Students Share Their Experience
At the end of the week, Columbia student Phillip Renner wrote: “This course was a truly unique experience. Learning about the startup nation with a perfect combination of practice, theory and socializing was truly amazing, and I will remember this week as one of my best at Columbia.”
Student Jenny Rae Le Roux said she almost did not go to Israel, but was glad she did as it changed the way she thinks about innovation. “The Israelis are courageous, passionate, challenging and fascinating,” she said. “Plus, I connected with a small group of my classmates in a way that transformed my whole CBS social experience. This trip is for everyone, interested in startups or not, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.”
Student Daniele Nadalin said the title of the course “could not be more appropriate. Through a mix of class experience with leading innovators, company visits with the ‘hottest’ startups in Israel and interaction with Israeli students, the week has been invaluable. I discovered an amazing country, I met great people, and I learned a lot about the startup world.”
The program is part of a mutual collaboration that also includes participation of Reichman University students in Columbia MBA courses. To date, 18 IDC MB students have been sent to Columbia. This is an ongoing collaboration, with plans already in the works for a second course to take place at Reichman University in May 2018.
