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16-23 November: Global Entrepreneurship Week Israel, Locations across Israel

Global Entrepreneurship Week is the world’s largest celebration of the innovators who launch startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth, and expand human welfare.

Israel will celebrate GEW with a diverse set of activities aimed at bridging the gap between the high tech sector and the rest of the population. The events will raise awareness of entrepreneurship as a method for enabling social mobility and economic growth across cultures and origins, including groups such as Haredis, Ethiopians, and Arabs who have been historically underrepresented in this space.

As part of GEW, The Pears Innovation for International Development Program is organizing a panel discussion entitled Israelis Innovating for Africa on Thursday, November 20 from 17:30-19:00 at the Google campus in Tel Aviv. The focus of the panel is to provide an introduction to the work of Israeli entrepreneurs and companies developing solutions for African markets. Contact us at info@israeldev.org for more information.

17-20 November: International Conference on Drylands, Deserts and Desertification (DDD), Sde Boker, Israel

Aliza Inbal, director of the Pears Innovation for International Development Program, will speak at Ben Gurion University's International Conference on Drylands, Deserts and Desertification on a panel entitled "Building Economic Resilience in the Drylands." The panel will take place on Thursday, November 20 from 8:30 - 10:00.

More information about the conference in general is available at event's website and online registration is open here.

19-20 November: Social Innovation Summit 2014, San Francisco, California

The Social Innovation Summit is a twice annual event taking place at the United Nations and Silicon Valley. Players at the nexus of technology, investment, philanthropy, international development, and business come together to investigate solutions and forge inspired partnerships with the aim of disrupting history.

November's event has an impressive line-up of speakers including the director of Google.org, the founder of Code for America, and the CEO of Kahn Academy. There is a growing list of leading organizations that will be among the 1,000+ attendees.

Click here to register or contact Austin Leah Van Grack at AVanGrack@landmarkventures.com for more information.

A Peek into the Start-Up Nation

In September, The Pears Innovation for International Development Program in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a delegation of young entrepreneurs from iHub Kenya on a week-long visit to Israel.

A representative from iHub, Paul Muchene, published a blog post entitled "A Peek into the Start-Up Nation" on iHub's blog sharing his reflections on his time in Israel. He discusses the various stops on the delegates' itinerary, themes in Israeli start-up culture, and more. Read Paul's post here.

Little Light is a registered NGO, supported by many Israeli organizations and individuals, which provides vital services to residents of one of Kampala, Uganda's poorest slums. The Little Light programs aim to establish local community leadership, which will encourage education, equality and social justice in Uganda.

Little Light's mission is to encourage and actualize the potential of children and their families in impoverished neighborhoods in Uganda by improving and developing their community and environment through the provision of adequate opportunities for education, health and economic growth, and by personal development of the neighborhood’s youth to positions of leadership and mentoring.

Little Light is currently raising funds to keep their children's center open in order to ensure the continuation of their education and nutrition programs. Please visit their Indiegogo page if you are interested in supporting this worthy cause.

Kenyan execs are more open to collaborative innovation, says GE

At a Breakfast Roundtable in Nairobi, GE released the results of the 2014 “Global Innovation Barometer,” which suggests that Kenyan business leaders are open to collaboration and see it as a risk worth taking in order to stimulate innovation. This edition was initiated in April when some 3,000 Kenyan executives participated for the first time. (Read more)

Sun-powered desalination for villages in India

Around the world, there is more salty groundwater than fresh, drinkable groundwater. For example, 60 percent of India is underlain by salty water — and much of that area is not served by an electric grid that could run conventional reverse-osmosis desalination plants.

Now an analysis by MIT researchers shows that a different desalination technology called electrodialysis, powered by solar panels, could provide enough clean, palatable drinking water to supply the needs of a typical village. (Read more)

OneStart: Your chance to win NIS 590k to realise your biotech business idea

Do you have an idea to solve a critical problem healthcare? Or do you have the scientific or business know-how to help someone else develop their idea?

The Oxbridge Biotech Roundtable (OBR) and SR One, the venture capital arm of GlaxoSmithKline, have teamed up again for the OneStart competition - the largest biotech startup accelerator program in the world - to offer young innovators from all disciplines the chance to win NIS 590k and free lab space near London, UK to transform their ideas into a successful business.

Applications are now open until December 1st, 2014.

Win up to USD$25,000 for your social venture

The Global Social Venture Competition is the world’s preeminent social venture competition providing aspiring entrepreneurs with mentoring, exposure, and $50,000 in prize money to transform their business ideas into positive real-world impact.

The GSVC occurs over three rounds. The first two rounds are run through the GSVC Global Partner schools and competition. During each round of the competition, social entrepreneurs present the social, financial, and environmental values of their business, gaining valuable feedback from and exposure to some of the greatest minds in social innovation. The first round deliverable is due December 5th, 2014.

Tech mentors needed for Rwanda start-up accelerator

think, the technology incubator in Kigali, is seeking mentors to provide its first cohort of start-ups with support ranging from high-level strategic advice to specific problem-solving.

Ideal mentors have strong tech or business development skills, a sense of adventure, patience, a positive outlook, and a passion for sharing your expertise with African startups. think is looking for qualified mentors who can commit to coming to Rwanda for 1-2 weeks.

Review the full description of the opportunity for specifics of the program and details on how to apply, or contact Sara Leedom (sara.leedom@think.rw) with any questions.

Short- to medium-term volunteer opportunities in Tanzania with Born to Learn

Born to Learn is a Tanzania-based NGO, working towards educational inclusion and quality education for children in need. The organization was founded in Moshi, Tanzania in 2007, when a few volunteers got together and joined forces to realize the idea of offering education to the many children in the community of Newlands who didn’t have the opportunity to attend the public school due to a lack of economic resources.

Volunteers play an integral part in growing the organization's projects. Whether you are new to volunteering, or a relatively experienced volunteer, everyone has a part to play, as long as you have the desire to help.
Click here to learn more about the various volunteer programs or contact us at info@israeldev.org for more information.