Nordic Israeli Academy 2022

The Nordic-Israeli Innovation Academy is an exclusive online knowledge-sharing program designed to help entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders scale innovation in sparsely populated areas of Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and the Faroe Islands. It offers a unique opportunity to gain insights into the methodologies, experience, and mind-set of Israeli founders and ecosystem builders.

The program consists of 4 consecutive sessions and are divided into two specialization tracks:
- An Ecosystem Builder Track.
- An Entrepreneur Track.

Storytelling Masterclass

WEDNESDAY 19 OCT. 2022 10.00-11.30 CET

FOR BOTH THE ENTREPRENEUR AND ECOSYSTEM-BUILDER TRACK

Facilitator: Uriel Dison & Nicolai Vorsø Pedersen

Our opening Session will offer a unique Story Telling Masterclass workshop (worth dkk 30,000!). One of the few common characteristics across all verticals is their ability to tell a coherent and simple story about their ecosystem or startup. This is a key to attract talent, partnerships, political support and investors. It is also one of the main drivers steering capital into rural areas.

This will be a highly engaging and practical workshop on how to say less and accomplish more in your online/ f2f presentations

Ofir Gal-On from Lior Shoham Ltd. (find bio here) has been training some of the world's leading companies for more than a decade and will be lead this 11/4 hours session.

In the workshop we will focus on:

1. How to communicate (almost) anything in 180 seconds or less (Zoom/ F2F/ email)

2. Practical steps for structuring complex messages into a coherent story

3. Transform data, numbers, and technical slides to memorable, crisp, and thought-provoking messages

Important - To make the best out of the session, please think of a real meeting/ presentation you wish to polish.

You don't have to prepare anything. Just come to the workshop with a real-life meeting/ presentation you have in the coming weeks.

Here are a few questions that will help you to prepare:

Audience- who are you presenting to? What are their characteristics/ background/ needs/ focus
Objective- how will you define success? What are you trying to accomplish in the presentation/ meeting? What do you want them to do/ know?
Value - What's in it for them? What's the value you will present at the meeting? Why should they do/ know what you want them to do/ know?

Much thought and care were put into this workshop and we can't wait to do it with you!

What can we learn from Israel?

WEDNESDAY 26 OCT. 2022, 10.00-10.55 CET

WEBINAR FOR ENTREPRENEURS

WEBINAR FOR ECOSYSTEM-BUILDERS

FROM RURAL TO GLOBAL START-UP

Israeli founders sharing best practices for scaling innovation from rural areas to global markets.

Facilitator: Nicolai Vorsø Pedersen

In this panel discussion, we zoom in on the motives of Israeli entrepreneurs to embark on their rural ventures, unpacking the mind-sets, innovative business models and frameworks used by the succeeding entrepreneurs of the Start-Up Nation. We have cherry picked 5 of the most innovative rural Israeli start-ups who are disrupting their industries. Each start-up will let us into their unique approach to harnessing the rural start-up journey and turning rural limitations into global competitive advantages.

MODELS OF RURAL ECOSYSTEMS

Unpacking Israel's robust ecosystems and harnessing innovation as a driving force for economic growth

Facilitator: Uriel Dison

This workshop will present models for how rural areas can create strategic partnerships with international actors such as foreign investors and multinational corporations and offer insight into Israeli models for how to use existing resources, infrastructure and networks to secure an international agenda.

Participants:

Yuval Gilad – CEO & Co-Founder@FreezEm

FreezeM is making insect farming sustainable, steady & scalable by providing ready-to-use Black Soldier Fly eggs or neonates to rearing from rearing and processing, making insect farming simpler and more accessible to everyone. Yuval have comprehensive experience with a background as a PhD and Scientific consultant at the Weizmann institute in Israel that has culminated in the groundbreaking technology behind FreezEm.

Harel Ram - CEO@ Tech7

Harel Ram is currently the CEO of Tech7, anumbrella organization aiming to unify the technological-entrepreneurial community in Beer-Sheva and the south. Harel brings with him over 20 years of experience in business development and intimate knowledge of the Israeli Hi-Tech. Over the years, Harel has escorted and advised startups at various stages, from the concept stage and attracting investors to more advanced stages. These days, Harel is establishing a venture capital fund that will invest in suitable startups.

Alon Wallach – Founder@AgwaGarden

Agwa has developed a first of its kind vegetable-growing home appliance called AgwaGarden. Agwa’s AI driven cloud Virtual Agronomist monitors and remotely controls every aspect that is relevant when growing vegetables, herbs, fruits, and bulbs. Beyond having a potential to become every household’s next addition, long term it has the potential to disrupt the produce that it grows value chain. Alon is a visionary ecology and sustainability activist with a passion for creating better ways to empower and enable people to grow their vegetables. He wants to enable people to control and gain transparency in what they eat.

Ifat Bechor - CEO@ Unistream

Ifat Bechor is the CEO of Unistream, an organization that promotes business and social entrepreneurship among youth from the Israeli periphery and equips them with advanced employment skills. Previously, Ifat worked at Birthright Israel, where she served most recently as the organization's head of business development and innovation in North America. Ifat holds a master's degree in Marketing and Management from Baruch College, City University of New York (CUNY), and a bachelor's degree in communications and management from the College of Management Academic Studies (COLMAN).

Aviv Melman – CEO@NakAI Robotics

NakAI Robotics develop cutting-edge vessels' conditioning & inspection solutions, aimed at preserving and improving our ocean's health by significantly reducing millions of tons in Air and Water pollutions, and also by minimizing the transmission of Aquatic Invasive Species. With vast experience form the maritime industry,Aviv and his team is buildinga fully Autonomous Hull Cleaning Robot that always travels with the ship and removes early-stage Slime & Biofouling while vessels are In-Transit!

Ofir Dubovi - CEO@ OpenValley

As the CEO and co-founder of OpenValley, Ofir has been working with rural innovation for several years. He co-founded OpenValley nearly seven years ago,a coworking space located in Ramat Yishai, the north of Israel. OpenValley offers a place for individuals, entrepreneurs, freelancers, teams and small companies come to think differently and get work done in a whole new way. Ofir has a strong entrepreneurial background, involved in founding several startups as well as shaping the strategic direction of both small and large organizations.

Watch session here Watch session here

How to build resilience in a rural setting

WEDNESDAY 26 OCT. 2022, 11.00-12.00 CET

WEBINAR FOR ENTREPRENEURS	WEBINAR FOR ECOSYSTEM-BUILDERS
HOW DO WE HARNESS RURAL CHALLENGES? Israeli founders sharing best practices for scaling innovation from rural areas to global markets Facilitator: Nicolai Vorsø Pedersen We continue the panel discussion changing the focus towards the resources in building a rural Start-Up. In rural areas, it is critical to address resources because these are often a scarce in a rural context. This session will focus on how companies can take responsibility for securing the necessary resources.	USING THE RIGHT KPIs FOR RURAL ECOSYSTEMS Getting the KPI's right for sparking innovative growth in the rural ecosystem. Facilitator: Uriel Dison What does it require to create an innovation ecosystem? What should be the level of ambition and speed of progress? How to develop a specific roadmap based on KPIs? The participants will learn how to approach ecosystem building as a concrete method with a clear and structured process.
Participants:	Participants:
Hadas Dotan – COO & Co-Founder @ Rplace Rplace is working with aquatic nature based solutions to treat polluted water and reduce carbon footprint. It’s a highly efficient nature-based solution purifying municipal and industrial wastewater, capturing carbon and methane, preventing emissions, controlling flood and damage, restoration of ecosystems and enhancing biodiversity. Hadas is an experienced professional within sustainability and nature protection, specializing in community engagement, environmental and climate education.	Harel Ram - CEO @ Tech7 Harel Ram is currently the CEO of Tech7, an umbrella organization aiming to unify the technological-entrepreneurial community in Beer-Sheva and the south. Harel brings with him over 20 years of experience in business development and intimate knowledge of the Israeli Hi-Tech. Over the years, Harel has escorted and advised startups at various stages, from the concept stage and attracting investors to more advanced stages. These days, Harel is establishing a venture capital fund that will invest in suitable startups.
Eric Rimón - Co-founder & CFO @Bcar.app Bcar.app are making the future more accessible by solving the infrastructure problem of electric vehicles once and for all. They make it easy for people, companies, organisations, and municipalities to connect with each other, beneficially for all hurrying up to grow the electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Eric is Co-founder of Bcar.app & an experienced serial entrepreneur with roots in Israel and current base in rural Finland.	Ifat Bechor - CEO @ Unistream Ifat Bechor is the CEO of Unistream, an organization that promotes business and social entrepreneurship among youth from the Israeli periphery and equips them with advanced employment skills. Previously, Ifat worked at Birthright Israel, where she served most recently as the organization's head of business development and innovation in North America. Ifat holds a master's degree in Marketing and Management from Baruch College, City University of New York (CUNY), and a bachelor's degree in communications and management from the College of Management Academic Studies (COLMAN).
	Ofir Dubovi - CEO @ OpenValley As the CEO and co-founder of OpenValley, Ofir has been working with rural innovation for several years. He co-founded OpenValley nearly seven years ago, a coworking space located in Ramat Yishai, the north of Israel. OpenValley offers a place for individuals, entrepreneurs, freelancers, teams and small companies come to think differently and get work done in a whole new way. Ofir has a strong entrepreneurial background, involved in founding several startups as well as shaping the strategic direction of both small and large organizations.

Watch Session here Watch Session here

tRANSFORMING THE FUTURE OF RURAL INNOVATION

WEDNESDAY 2 NOV. 2022 10.00-11.30 CET

WEBINAR FOR ENTREPRENEURS

WEBINAR FOR ECOSYSTEM-BUILDERS

GETTING FUDNED IN A RURAL AREA

Israeli VC's and the Northern Danish EU-office will present an overview of available funding programs for rural start-ups.

Facilitator: Nicolai Vorsø Pedersen

We have gathered a diverse group of VC-funds, Angel investors, the European Union and Institutional Investors to share funding opportunities, the investors’ perspective on start-ups, what makes a great product, and what makes your pitch-deck blow their mind – enticing them to financially support your start-up.

ECOSYSTEM LEADERSHIP LESSONS

A roundtable discussion with ecosystem leaders about getting started, what challenges await them and how to tackle them.

Facilitator: Uriel Dison

How do you get the right balance between Objectives and Actions, how do you focus your energy on the opportunities that enable rural ecosystems to reach their highest potential? How do you get teams, stakeholders and locals to collaborate and perform in the direction of your objectives? These questions will be addressed by Israeli ecosystem leaders in this session.

Hanne Pihl - Head of Projects @ North Denmark EU-Office

North Denmark EU-Office represents both private and public companies from North Denmark that is trying to reach the rest of Europe with their ideas, projects and businesses. They experts in the entire process from project idea to actual implementation. Hanne will present the vast and inspiring funding opportunities for rural economic development and innovation offered by EU-funds.

Sinai Gohar Barak - International Ecosystem Development @ DeserTech

Sinai is the ecosystem development manager of the DeserTech community, forming new strategic partnerships, and leading open innovation processes with organizations who are interested in exploring and implementing desert technologies. Prior to joining the Israel Innovation Institute, Sinai was the director of the social innovation unit at SIT, working closely with non-profit organizations such as municipalities, government offices, academia, and NGO’s. Sinai is an experienced Innovation facilitator; she holds a BA in Sociology and lives in a southern Kibbutz in Israel.

Idan Fisher - Director of Strategic Partnerships @ TAU Ventures

Idan is an experienced advisor on market entry, innovation scouting and growth strategies. Over the past 10 years, he worked with some of Israel’s most innovative early-stage startups in the fields of AI, computer vision and cyber security. Prior to joining TAU Ventures, he was Director of the UK-Israel Tech Hub at the British Embassy in Tel Aviv, where he oversaw a team of 10 focused on forming meaningful connections between top-tier UK industry partners and innovative Israeli tech solutions.

Ran Sasson - Director @ Climate Launchpad Program

Ran is the director of the Climate Launchpad program, a government tender to implement innovative solutions at both the municipal and regional level. Ran has spent more than a decade developing solutions for quality education and development in rural areas. Recently, Ran has directed six regional governmental accelerators among the Israeli deprived populations. This program followed a national network of co-working spaces in the rural areas. Ran also lives in the desert in southern Israel.

Hana Rado - Founder & President @ Group Nineteen

Hana found positive growth potential in the social revolution of Israel. She began actively enabling the occupation and expertise for women in the rural areas of Israel. Lately she has established the occupational centres in Mitzpe Ramon, Ofakim, Safed and the area around Beit Shean. In addition to this, Hana has vast experience from high level positions in the business world and are working actively towards creating individual solutions for different companies.

Philipp Holtkamp - Senior Innovation Specialist @ University of Vaasa

Philipp is going to represent the Nordic countries by presenting rural innovation challenge from the city of Vaasa in Finland. Philipp is a strong believer in the importance of setting up processes that empower individuals and unleash their creativity and productivity. He's experienced in software development, learning strategies and innovation concepts along with the combination of these to minimise idea to market cycles. Philipp is actively working with a multitude of societal stakeholders to crack the rural prosperity challenges in the region of Vaasa in Finland.