Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Israel

• This programs runs every other year with upcoming dates during Winter Break 2025.
• Earn three hours of academic credit
• Travel to Israel, learning about technological innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Visit sites of cultural, historical and religious importance in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

This program offers a unique learning and personal growth experience. With its focus on technology entrepreneurship and visit to the world’s most important historical and religious sites it combines the very new and innovative with the very old and spiritual. Israel is second in the world (to Silicon Valley) in the number of startups, venture capital per capita and stock exchange listings of new companies. We will visit many new companies to learn from startup management how to create a successful entrepreneurial new venture. We will also visit many famous sites of the world’s three major religions to learn their origins, history and contributions. And there’s time for floating in the Dead Sea and experiencing the nightlife of Tel Aviv, a highly contemporary city.

Safety and education are primary as students, faculty and guides will travel together in safe, guarded buses, supervised activities and site visits customized specifically for this unique adventure.

“Israel attracts nearly twice the venture capital per capita than the U.S. and has more start-ups, patents, and inventions than all of the European Union.”

5 Israeli Start-ups Quietly Changing the World by Christina DesMarais at Inc.com

This program takes place in three principal cities in Israel: Haifa, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem.  Each destination provides unique opportunities to students relevant to the academic content of the program and the historical/cultural context of Israel.

• Haifa is Israel’s foremost port city for international commerce and the center of Israeli high tech industries. Two of the most distinguishing features of this dynamic city are its physical beauty and its cosmopolitan population of 265,000 Jews, Christians, Muslims, Druze, and Bahá’ís living in harmony. 
• The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality is best known for its strengths as an international business center that specializes in innovation, serving as an engine of global growth for the entire Israeli economy.  Tel Aviv offers Bauhaus architecture, cafes and clubs at the old harbor, the open air markets, summer street festivals, and the charm of old Jaffa with its artist colony.
• A city sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Jerusalem is a meeting of past and present, of ancient roots and modern innovations. In addition, this thriving metropolis is rich in art galleries and museums, theaters and concert halls, restaurants and dance clubs. 

All students will enroll in one of the following courses for three credit hours:

• ENTR 500: An approved elective for the Entrepreneurship Minor, or for the Entrepreneurship Track in the Management and Leadership Major.
• IBUS 500: Individual Research in International Business
• ENGR 500: Individual Research in Engineering, with applicability to various Engineering degrees

This course will consist of:

• Case studies of the startups to be visited; presentations by distinguished faculty from Israeli Universities and Israeli government officials
• Visits to selected technology startups and presentations by each firm’s management to better understand the development path each and lessons learned during startup and growth periods. We will visits startups in software, pharmaceuticals, clean tech, web design, medical devices, health care several venture capital firms.
• Docent led tours of historically important sites to better understand the origins of three of the world’s great religions and the role of technology in discovering and preserving the sacred sites of each.
• Presentations by distinguished faculty at Tel Aviv University, Adelson School of Entrepreneurship at the IDC, the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and the Israeli Office of the Chief Scientist.

Students will stay in standard rooms at hotels, guest houses, and hostels in Haifa, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem. Many meals will be group meal included in the program fee, but some lunches and dinners will be paid by students on their own.

All travel within Israel for program activities is included in the program fee paid to KU, but students will make their own arrangements for travel to and from Israel.



Study Abroad & Global Engagement will identify a group flight recommendation and students are responsible for making their travel arrangements according to the group plan in early December.

Site Visits and Excursions May Include:

Tel Aviv

Introduction to Israel as the “Start-up Nation”;  lectures from IDC faculty, corporate guests and Israeli entrepreneurs; visits to IDC MiLab in Herzilya, Trendlines Venture Capital, Pitango Venture Capital, Mintigo, BiomX Therapeutics, Flux Ag Tech, TEVA Pharmaceuticals or other companies; introduction to the history and politics of the Middle East; visits to the beach, Jaffa, Rabin Memorial, and more.

Galilee & Nazareth

Visits include the Mount of the Beatitudes, the Church of the Multiplication, the Sea of Galilee, Mount Bental and the Church of the Annunciation, and the Bel Ofri- Ein Nashut Winery.  Participants will stay in Kibbutz Degania Bet.

Jerusalem

Lecture at Hebrew University. Visit the Dead Sea and the Shrine of the Book, Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, Bridge of Strings, Knesset, Supreme Court, Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepluchre, Mahane Yehuda Market, Western Wall, and participate in Shabbat of a Lifetime.

SAGE is dedicated to creating international engagement opportunities that meet the needs of all our students and providing resources to support you through the process of studying abroad. Study abroad is achievable for students of all identities including our BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students, students with disabilities, and students with religious/non-religious viewpoints. Before selecting a program, consider how your identities may impact your experience abroad in unique ways and talk with your Program Coordinator about any program-specific concerns. Students with documented disabilities should discuss any accommodation needs with their Program Coordinator early in the planning process.

Check our Identity Abroad page and resources listed below for information specific to you and other students who may be on your program.

• Sexual and Gender Diversity
• Students of Color Abroad
• Visible and Invisible Disabilities
• Religious, Spiritual, and Non-Religious Students
• Adult Learners and Non-Traditional Students
• First Generation Students 
• Students with Children
• Students with Financial Need
• Veterans, Active Duty, and ROTC

The program will target a diverse group of students, as the subject matter covered is applicable to all. Therefore, Business students, Engineering students, students in the Biosciences, and any other interested students are eligible to apply. Students must have a GPA of 2.5 or greater and have completed one semester on-campus.

Program Cost for Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Israel 

Jana Fitchett, Faculty Lead

Lecturer

Management and Entrepreneurship academic area

jfitchet@ku.edu

Jana Fitchett's focus is to provide interactive learning by discussing success stories from business founders and managers, utilizing case studies to encourage realistic hands-on training and transform the classroom into a virtual company laboratory for future managers and entrepreneurs.

Brian Salmans, Faculty Co-lead

Asst Teaching Professor

Analytics, Information and Operations Management Academic Area

Brian.salmans@ku.edu

Over 25 years of leadership and management experience in Department of Defense-level computer network security positions, software development program management, distance learning systems, and information and communication systems fielding in developing countries. Additionally, Brian possesses a decade of experience in professional military and civilian education at the graduate and undergraduate level, online and face-to-face instruction and curriculum development.

Business School Scholarship

Business students are eligible for scholarships for this program but must submit an application. Students who have not previously received study abroad scholarships from the Business School will have priority for scholarship awards.  For more information and application instructions, please see the Global Business Studies' webpage.

Engineering School Scholarships

Scholarships may be available for engineering students through the School of Engineering.