Tel Aviv University is entering the fierce competition for the brightest minds in the deep-tech world with the launch of a new specialization within its business administration studies, focusing on advanced technologies. The new program, set to open this coming January, features an impressive roster of participants from the global high-tech industry.
Heading the advisory committee is Alan Feld, founder and partner at Vintage Investment Partners, a venture capital fund managing approximately $4 billion. Serving alongside him are other prominent figures: Dr. David Tennenhouse, former Vice President of Intel Global and Vice President of Technology at Microsoft, and Gigi Levy-Weiss, co-founder of the venture capital fund NFX and former CEO of 888 Holdings.
The Intersection of Academia and Industry
The new deep-tech specialization – the Coller Deep-Tech MBA – is designed for professionals with at least three years of technological experience who aspire to move into managerial roles. The studies will be conducted in English and in a hybrid format combining online learning with intensive in-person weeks at the faculty.
“We have crafted a leading deep-tech specialization at international standards, combining academic research at the forefront of global innovation with the extensive hands-on experience of high-tech industry leaders from Israel and abroad,” explains Prof. Yael Steinhart, Dean of the Coller School of Management.
The program will be academically led by Dr. Dor Lee-Leu, a faculty lecturer and managing partner at IBI Tech Fund, who emphasizes the unique value of the program: “The specialization offers significant learning alongside the creation of an exceptional networking ecosystem, connecting participants with venture capital investors and tech entrepreneurs.”
Top-Tier Lecturers
The teaching staff includes leading figures from international academia: Prof. Brent Goldfarb, Dean of Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland, and Prof. Gary Dushnitsky of the London Business School. Joining them are prominent industry figures such as Roy Geva Glasberg, co-founder of And Ventures, and Attorney Gershon Penitsch, an expert in intellectual property and patents.
The advisory committee also includes additional figures from the high-tech sector: Renana Ashkenazi of Grove Ventures, Amir Fishelov, co-founder of SolarEdge and chairman of Capo, Shlomit Hart, former head of Gartner Israel, and Modi Rosen of Magma Venture Partners.
The launch of the program comes at a time when demand is at its peak for professionals who combine technological expertise with management skills. “We see this as added value – providing advanced managerial tools that will help tech professionals deepen their understanding of the business implications as well,” explains Alan Feld.
The program focuses on providing advanced management tools tailored to the deep-tech world, with an emphasis on leading commercialization processes and scaling of advanced technologies in fields such as artificial intelligence, big data, biomed, and more.
This initiative positions Tel Aviv University as a serious contender in the elite professional program market, aiming to bridge the gap between academia and the evolving needs of the Israeli and global high-tech industries.