
IDEAS
BrightPaths: a platform to help prevent undesired employee turnover. Represented by Itay Lotan and Oren Blank;
GoldBuzz: a workplace social celebration platform. Represented by Richard Kampel and Maya Lazarovich;
PlantOptics: an integrated greenhouse control system. Represented by Alex Joseph and Elif Kara;
Viibe: a concept dating app that brings dates back to dating. Represented by Shiran Shmerling and Ron Biton;
WeStream: an online platform uses as a marketplace for content production. Represented by Avi Forchheimer and Tamar Prudize.

L-to-R: David Dorfman (AFTAU & Host), Eran Gilad (Scopus Ventures), Ben McMaster (Philosophie), Behzad Kianmahd (TAU Ventures), Dr. Daniel Nazarian (TAU Ventures)-Photo credit AFTAU
David Dorfman, Founder of IDEAS Immersion and Vice President of American Friends of TAU USA Western Region claims that, “As Tel Aviv University continues to grow as a hotbed for tech entrepreneurs, this program is a special opportunity to bring together seasoned and budding talent from around the globe to collaborate and accelerate their ideas. We’re proud to host these students and work with an impressive lineup of investors and corporate sponsors as we work to further connect the Israeli and American tech communities.”

David Dorfman (4th from L 2nd row) & IDEAS Immersion students-Photo credit AFTAU
Israelis are known for their ability to develop and initiate new ideas, but are weak in marketing and developing markets in the world. Many Israeli companies encounter a barrier that prevents them from penetrating a new market of an unknown and new business culture. Therefore, the ability to penetrate a new market and receive tips and advice from local people who speak the same language, on one hand, and on the other hand are known to be able to establish business, constitutes a distinct advantage.As part of the IDEAS Immersion Program, the students meet mentors from the business world throughout the United States. The uniqueness of the program brings the students together with mentors not only for the three-week visit duration, rather, they are accompanied throughout their studies for the high-education degree.Earlier this month, at a Friday evening Shabbat get together dinner with the group of entrepreneurs from Tel Aviv University program, hosted by the Asaf family, in the ambiance beauty of Malibu Point Dume, I met two of these mentors, Moti Asaf1 and Ofer Alon2, and I heard their most interesting vision."Our goal is to build a business community made of Tel Aviv University graduates, who succeeded in business in the United States and beyond. These businessmen will devote time to mentor the students from their studies’ starting point until they have established their first joint venture. The vast experience these TAU graduates have already accumulated in the United States and their ability to connect the budding entrepreneurs with the business world is an advantage for these entrepreneurs who have to deal with many complex issues,” Moti Asaf told me.
Moti Asaf-Photo credit Moti Asaf
And Ofer added: “Our intention is to accompany each entrepreneur from the point of locating him or her among native Israelis, especially from the periphery, and give them the tools to cope with the academic and entrepreneurship challenges. Our program addresses several aspects:
1. To accompany the students at the beginning of their business careers and give them different perspectives of the American marketplace;2. Guide the entrepreneurs on how to penetrate the American market, and how to minimize possible marketing errors;3. Link the entrepreneurs with the business community, open doors for them to initiate pilot programs;4. And most importantly, to be a listening ear and give the entrepreneurs an open line to consult with the mentor;5. Our experience in the industry and our desire to give back to the community could provide solutions and distinguished contribution to the students’ community. Needless to say, all this is done on a voluntary basis and with generous personal donations,” Ofer concluded.
With programs like IDEAS Immersion Israel will continue to excel.As of 2015, according to on the UN's Human Development Index, Israel ranks in the top 20 nations in the world, what places her in the category of "Very Highly Developed" country, allowing the country to enjoy a higher standard of living similarly to other Western countries such as Austria, France and Finland. This prosperity with advanced economy Israel has been creating and enjoying allows the country to have a sophisticated welfare state, modern infrastructure, rivaling many other Western countries, and a high-technology sector competitively on par with Silicon Valley.One has to take a deep breath to be able to catch up on Israel’s fast moving entrepreneurial industry in many fields. It is the wisdom of the mind that keeps on giving.