Sunday felt like the real start of the mission of the STEM trip. It was all about learning about starting up a business and how to follow through. We began with a visit to JVP and heard from Hanan Brand about how they go about deciding which startups to finance. To him it was about passion and the desire to innovate for the betterment of mankind.
Our next stop was a visit to Presentense for an interactive seminar on the development of social entrepreneurship. The students split into groups of 5 and had an intense brainstorming session with the help of our leader. We then went up to the front, explained the innovation and clustered ideas as we went on. Students came up with ideas for smart homes, smart sports uniforms, new ways to interact with fantasy sports, sensors that prevent 'friendly fire' and more!
Our next stop was lunch on Ben Yehuda and the 'Nu Campaign' - a T-Shirt store which is really a Chessed Social Start Up. The founder of the company is devoted to help others in need and to help end violence in the world. His T-shirts carry these messages of social justice. We were touched by his passion and drive. After this we headed back to Presentense to meet with Saul Singer, author of
Start Up Nation. It was great to hear about Israel's place in the world as a leader in innovative businesses and technology.
After this it was back to the hotel for a panel discussion with Josh Hasten, journalist for the Jerusalem Post, and Fadi Rabia, a Palestinian who wants to help open a dialogue for peace. It was fascinating to hear from both sides and it helped give us ways to understand the true story and advocate for Israel.
After a brief rest - we went out to eat at the fabulous Jerusalem restaurant Ana Ticho.
And THEN went bowling!
Finally- Arvit at the Kotel and back to the hotel.
