Gies College of Business Launches 'Business Dynamics of a Start-Up Nation'

URBANA, Ill., March 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Later this week, 35 high-performing James Scholars from Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois will embrace the fast-paced world of accelerators, incubators and venture capitalists by heading to Israel for ten days of immersion in entrepreneurship.

“Israel’s well-established reputation for innovation in technology and agriculture makes it a natural partner for the cutting-edge research at UIUC,” says Gies College of Business Dean Jeffery R. Brown. “We’re partnering with Tel Aviv University and pioneering businesses to give our students a head start at turning business concepts into viable companies that will impact our state, the country and the world. This innovative learning experience exposes students to the vanguard of the dynamic local and global businesses they will one day run.”

Arriving in Jerusalem on Saturday, March 17, the students will commence a packed schedule of sit-down meetings with a cross-section of luminaries in business, political dignitaries and Israeli cultural figures. They will also enjoy more contemplative downtime visits to historic landmarks and natural wonders, with scheduled events to include a chance to participate in a Sabbath at the Western Wall and to float in The Dead Sea.

The program opens in Jerusalem at the Old Port of Jaffa for a meeting with Leonid Bakman, founder and president of the Israel Innovation Institute. On the following day, students will have the opportunity to break bread with the former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, and discuss how Israel became known as The Start-up Nation. Later, they will engage in inspirational conversations with an Israeli artist and military veteran of the Israeli Defense Force, followed by a networking dinner with students of Tel Aviv University. Additional trip highlights include interactions with “WeWork” entrepreneurs and venture capital gurus like John Medved, CEO and founder of OurCrowd, as well as visits to the Israel-America Chamber of Commerce, and the Beer Sheva Advanced Technologies Park.

“We’re offering this for-credit experience because we understand the passion GenZ has for setting their own destiny and owning their own purpose-driven business one day,” said Dean Brown. “This unique program kick-starts their learning and gives them the tools they need to continue our University’s legacy of innovation.”

About the Gies College of Business
The Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign provides a world class educational experience for the next generation of business leaders. For more than 100 years, the College has delivered on the promise of innovation in business education, with a commitment to cutting-edge curriculum design and delivery, exceptional experiential learning opportunities, and unparalleled academic excellence. Today our faculty prepare more than 5,100 students, including 3,100 undergraduates, to be at the forefront of innovation and leadership in the global economy.

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SOURCE Gies College of Business