The REAL Entrepreneurs

Feeling inspired... :-)

When I think of an entrepreneur, I either think of someone who made a big exit, a talked about IPO or is a real-estate investor. Don't know why, but that's the connotation I have.

Over the past few years, friends of mine, who have gone through various Tel Aviv accelerators, struggled, kicked, pushed and shoved their way through to a seed investment and a round A. I am humbled by their perseverance, tenacity and sheer will power to get it through. This includes 1 or 2 pivots, hustling their way through bridge investments or angel investors. Truly amazing.

But I'm not here to talk about that now. I'm here to talk about some other guys and gals. Every time I meet these people, I am at awe and yesterday was no different. These guys rock. They are the corner stone of entrepreneurship in my mind. These guys hustle and push through almost any barrier, political, physical, financial or whatever.

If they need something or a budget for something and don't get it, they get a sponsor for it. They GET STUFF DONE!

They run the programs we all like, they find those first-timer entrepreneurs, run those hackathons, run demo days, promote collaboration between cities, countries and organizations and do they do this with little to no budget. Truly amazing. Best Ops people around!

The REAL Entrepreneurs!

Yesterday I met Tair Kowalsky, Head of the Herzliya Accelerator Center (HAC). I was blown away by the sheer passion, energy and desire to create and grow a local entrepreneurship center in Herzliya. What a pleasure.



Herzliya is a beautiful small city in the northern part of the Tel Aviv district with approx. 110,000 people.

HAC and Me

I'm always looking for ways to help out with entrepreneurs and startups. I love working with them one-on-one and also share some of my passion re: startup business modeling and go-to-market strategy. There are so many things one needs to consider when starting or pushing through the early stages of a new venture. I am sure I can help them out.

I met with Tair, hoping to collaborate with the upcoming wave of entrepreneurs. Exciting times.

Entrepreneurship Starts at Home

Thinking about it now, this is just awesome.

Israel is the 'Startup Nation' alright and now it finally hit me. There are SO MANY entrepreneurship programs, funding, classes, events, lectures, workshops etc. that it blows my mind. It's bound to generate many ventures and startups. On top of that you have all these accelerators, incubators and HUBs.

I mean think about it, there is so much support for people trying to create something valuable or actually trying to change the world. So much money is poured into these organizations. Actually, there are so many non-profit programs and institutions as well, so people can go ahead and start something from almost anywhere in Israel. This is just beautiful.

Now I was born in Haifa, which is the north of Israel. Not the far north, but north enough ;-), they too, have a Youth Center. http://www.haifa24.co.il/. Young individuals in Haifa are considered to be between the ages of 18 and 40. I now live in Ramat Gan with my wife and 2 year old dog. Just last month, they opened a new Youth Center as well called the 2nd Floor http://www.koma2.co.il/. Exciting times. I will follow up and see how we can start-up an entrepreneurship HUB or center in Ramat Gan as well.

Ramat Gan is another city bordering Tel Aviv to the east. It has approx. 150,000 people.

Until next time...