Over 2022, The Palestinian Internship Program managed to place additional exceptional young Palestinian professionals at internships with Israeli and multinational companies in Israel in the fields of software, medtech, edtech, venture capital, and marketing, among other areas. We now have more than 100 alumni.
This report highlights how these internships have changed the lives of our participants and the many relationships that have resulted from the economic bridge-building facilitated by PIP. We are proud to share the success stories of new partnerships and connections between our Palestinian Interns and their Israeli colleagues.
We continued to broaden our programming that provides valuable content and relationships for our Finalists and Interns. We are currently working to place our 16th Cycle of Interns at companies while starting to recruit for our 17th Cycle. The downturn in the technology sector, which has included significant layoffs at many leading companies, makes this effort even more challenging.
Meanwhile, our Palestinian Mentorship Program (PMP) has now matched 61 Palestinian entrepreneurs with experienced business Mentors around the globe; they meet bi-weekly to help address business challenges facing an elite group of Palestinian business managers and entrepreneurs. PMP has helped Mentees secure funding and launch new products. Some Mentees have even hired their own PIP Interns - bringing our professional development pipeline full circle. PMP's 6th Cycle launched in January 2023.
Lastly, PIP expanded its team to three full-time staff, welcoming Mohammed Atira as PIP's Program Coordinator in Ramallah. Mohammed focuses on recruitment, participant engagement, and facilitating programming for both PIP and PMP.
For 2023, we are expanding our volunteer network, formalizing our Cycle Curriculum, and introducing a new Technical Training track for our Finalists seeking R&D positions – to help ensure they have the skills our host companies are looking for. As always, we continue to recruit more 'host companies' for the PIP Network and to build our impressive PMP Global Mentor Network, ensuring we can keep introducing our talented participants to new opportunities in tech.
We welcome your help and support for any or all of these efforts
Yadin Kaufmann Founder & Chairman, Palestinian Internship ProgramThe Palestinian Internship Program, Inc. is a professional development non-profit that aims to empower Palestinian professionals in building their careers, and establishing themselves as business leaders, thereby stimulating innovation, investment, and opportunity in the Palestinian tech ecosystem.
Our MISSION is to provide young Palestinian professionals with high-level Internships and Mentorships so that they can better contribute to the growth of the Palestinian tech sector.
+3000 Palestinian students graduate with ICT degrees yearly, and fewer than half find employment in their fields. Youth unemployment among Palestinians is 38%, one of the highest in the region, and women constitute less than 20% of Palestine's private sector employees At the executive level, Palestine's isolation from the international community limits partnerships, growth, and investment. These factors contribute to a damaging 'brain drain' from the tech sector. Our programs counteract this loss of talent by offering fresh graduates and business leaders high-tech employment opportunities, skills training, and strategic partnerships at or near their homes. Participants find gainful employment in their fields, start their own companies in Palestine, and establish fruitful partnerships with Mentors worldwide, bringing investment and new opportunities to Palestine
opened the door to a whole d that I didn't even know ed. I am so grateful for it. It's nowing that this thing is out e, and that we can be a part It is so empowering"
PIP is exploring new avenues to bolster its network in the Israeli tech ecosystem and increase successful matches. To overcome challenges posed by economic recession and hiring freezes, PIP will dedicate additional resources towards effectively matching candidates with suitable Internships Moreover, PIP continues to attract talented candidates with diverse backgrounds, strengthening PIP's ability to facilitate matches across industries and roles.
PIP is rolling out a new "Technical Training Track." This track will equip candidates with advanced technical skills, increasing their likelihood of matching into competitive internships with PIP's host companies. In 2022, PIP partnered with Appleseeds (חופת) to offer PIPers from East Jerusalem an opportunity to participate in a FullStack Bootcamp. In 2023, PIP will collaborate with an additional technical training provider to offer an intensive training to West Bankers so that all participants have the opportunity to upskill.
PIP is broadening its involvement of the greater tech community in supporting participants' growth. We are building an ecosystem of volunteers to support participants 1:1 in their skills development, speaking opportunities for Alumni to share their stories with groups from around the world, and networking opportunities with tech professionals.
PIP significantly expanded programming and support for Finalists, Mentees, and Alumni in 2022. A full-time Program Coordinator joined the team to oversee participant engagement. PMP introduced targeted Masterclasses led by expert Mentors. Programming successfully returned to in-person workshops, with plans to increase their frequency this year Looking ahead to 2023, PIP plans to introduce Alumni workshops and establish Leadership Committees, providing continued growth opportunities for members.
This year, PMP's community grew, achieving more of their goals, making more connections, and fostering more valuable partnerships with their Mentors. As it entered its third year, PMP introduced new monitoring and evaluation tools to ensure the program's effectiveness. In 2023, PMP aims to boost KPI completion and Mentee retention rates, tailor leadership development to Mentee needs, and strengthen the greater PMP network.
In 2022, PIP successfully raised $23K by turning to our community for support! Our first crowdfunding campaign brought together PIP's Alumni, Host Companies, Mentors, and Community Partners to raise much-needed funds for PIP & PMP programming Thanks to your support, we can continue to grow in 2023.
P A L E S T I N I N I A N I N T E R N S H I P P R O G R A M ( P I P )
P I P h e l p s r e c e n t P a l e s t i n i a n u n i v e r s i t y g r a d u a t e s j u m p - s t a r t t h e i r c a r e e r s i n h i g h - t e c h b y o f f e r i n g r e a l - w o r k e x p e r i e n c e s a t l e a d i n g m u l t i n a t i o n a l a n d I s r a e l i c o m p a n i e s . I n t e r n s e n g a g e i n m o n t h l y w o r k s h o p s a n d g a i n o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o g r o w t h e i r p r o f e s s i o n a l n e t w o r k . O u t o f 2 0 0 t o 3 0 0 a p p l i c a n t s p e r c y c l e , 4 0 f i n a l i s t s ( w i t h a r o u g h l y 5 0 - 5 0 g e n d e r s p l i t ) a r e s e l e c t e d t o j o i n t h e i n t e r n s h i p m a t c h i n g p r o c e s s , w h e r e t h e y h a v e a c h a n c e t o b e m a t c h e d i n t o a 3 + m o n t h p a i d i n t e r n s h i p . H o s t C o m p a n i e s b e n e f i t f r o m a c c e s s t o d i v e r s e , t a l e n t e d c a n d i d a t e s f o r t h e i r w o r k f o r c e P I P e m p o w e r s y o u n g P a l e s t i n i a n p r o f e s s i o n a l s , b o l s t e r s P a l e s t i n i a n e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t , a n d h e l p s b r i d g e t h e g a p b e t w e e n t h e P a l e s t i n i a n a n d I s r a e l i t e c h e c o s y s t e m s .
P I P I n t e r n s c o m e w i t h d e g r e e s i n C o m p u t e r S c i e n c e , E n g i n e e r i n g
( C o m p u t e r , E l e c t r i c a l , M e c h a n i c a l , E n e r g y , e t c . ) , F i n a n c e ,
M a r k e t i n g , B u s i n e s s A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , L i f e S c i e n c e s , & m o r e a n d m a t c h w i t h I s r a e l - b a s e d H o s t C o m p a n i e s f o r 3 - 6 m o n t h I n t e r n s h i p s
P I P ' s p r o f e s s i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t p r o g r a m m i n g t a r g e t s S o f t / P o w e r S k i l l s t h r o u g h w o r k s h o p s a n d p r a c t i c a l o n e - o n - o n e t r a i n i n g .
P I P e r s a d v a n c e t h e i r s k i l l s i n C V w r i t i n g , i n t e r v i e w i n g , n e t w o r k i n g , d e v i s i n g t h e i r c a r e e r t o o l b o x a n d a n " I n n o v a t i o n M i n d s e t "
P I P ' s n e t w o r k i n g e v e n t s e n a b l e P a l e s t i n i a n s t o d e t h e i r p r o f e s s i o n a l n e t w o r k s w i t h I s r a e l i & P a l e s t i n i a n e x e c u t i v e s , e n t r e p r e n e u r s , a n d o t h e r y o u n g p r o f e s s i o n a l s O u r a n n u a l s u m m e r g a t h e r i n g b r i n g s 2 0 0 + P a l e s t i n i a n s a n d I s r a e l i s t o g e t h e r t o c e l e b r a t e p r o g r a m a c h i e v e m e n t s a n d h i g h - t e c h c o o p e r a t i o n .
P I P e n g a g e s A l u m n i a n d F i n a l i s t s f r o m p r e v i o u s c y c l e s t h r o u g h o p p o r t u n i t y s h a r i n g P I P s h a r e s w e e k l y i n t e r n s h i p a n d j o b o p e n i n g s w i t h i t s n e t w o r k f o r a l l e x p e r i e n c e l e v e l s , w h i l e P I P F i n a l i s t s r e m a i n e l i g i b l e t o b e m a t c h e d w i t h I n t e r n s h i p s . I n 2 0 2 3 , P I P w i l l l a u n c h A l u m n i w o r k s h o p s a n d a P I P L e a d e r s h i p C o m m i t t e e , t o i n v o l v e p a r t i c i p a n t s i n P I P ' s o r g a n i z a t i o n a l g r o w t h s t r a t e g y a n d e n a b l e t h e m t o c o n t i n u e i m p r o v i n g t h e i r l e a d e r s h i p s k i l l s
Every 6-month Cycle, PIP receives 200-300 applications from East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Only 40 Finalists are accepted each Cycle. PIP seeks out top graduates - future leaders of the Palestinian tech ecosystem.
80
A P P L I C A T I O N S P E R
Y E A R *
*Average over 2020-2022
A C C E P T A N C E S P E R
Y E A R
I N
H I P A L U M N I
I n 2 0 2 2 , 8 0 F i n a l i s t s c o m p l e t e d P I P p r o g r a m m i n g , w h i l e 1 3 p a r t i c i p a n t s s u c c e s s f u l l y c o m p l e t e d I n t e r n s h i p s i n W e b & M o b i l e D e v e l o p m e n t , D a t a S c i e n c e , E n g i n e e r i n g , F i n a n c i a l A n a l y s i s , P o r t f o l i o M a n a g e m e n t , a n d I n f r a s t r u c t u r e P r o j e c t M a n a g e m e n t . P I P h a s h a d a h u g e i m p a c t o n o u r I n t e r n s ' e m p l o y m e n t p r o s p e c t s : 5 3 % o f t h e m w e r e u n e m p l o y e d b e f o r e t h e i r i n t e r n s h i p , a n d o n l y 6 % a t l e a s t 6 m o n t h s f o l l o w i n g t h e i r i n t e r n s h i p .
I N T E R N S H I P S C O M P L E T
C U R R E N T E M P L O Y M E N T
I n t e r n s h i p A l u m n i o f C y c l e s 1 - 1 4 ( 2 0 2 2 )
9% WORKING ABROAD
13% OTHER (I E HIGHER ED)
6% UNEMPLOYED
22% NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN ISRAEL
F I N A L I S T S C O M P L E T E D P I P ' S P
20% NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN PALESTINE
10% ENTREPRENEURS
19% STILL WORKING AT HOST COMPANY
A c r o s s t h e b o a r d , I n t e r n s r e p o r t s i g n i f i c a n t g r o w t h i n s k i l l s a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t p o s t - I n t e r n s h i p , i n c l u d i n g i m p r o v e d p r o f e s s i o n a l i s m , c o n f i d e n c e , a n d b u s i n e s s k n o w - h o w
Power/Soft Skills
Technical Skills
Overall Professional Development
F o r t h o s e w h o s t a r t t h e p r o g r a m u n e m p l o y e d o r u n d e r e m p l o y e d * ( l e f t d i a g r a m ) , t h e r e i s a s i g n i f i c a n t i n c r e a s e i n s u i t a b l e e m p l o y m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s a f t e r f i n i s h i n g P I P ( r i g h t d i a g r a m ) . O v e r 5 5 % o f t h o s e w h o b e g i n P I P u n e m p l o y e d o r u n d e r e m p l o y e d s e c u r e e m p l o y m e n t i n t h e i r f i e l d s w i t h i n s i x m o n t h s o f f i n i s h i n g t h e p r o g r a m , w h i l e t h e g r o u p ' s u n e m p l o y m e n t r a t e d r o p s f r o m 6 3 % t o 1 8 % .
S K I L L D E V E L O P M E N T : P A R T I C I P A N T S
S i x m o n t h s p o s t - p r o g r a m , a l l P I P p a r t i c i p a n t s r e f l e c t o n t h e i r e x p e r i e n c e i n P I P w o r k s h o p s a n d e v e n t s M o s t p a r t i c i p a n t s e x p e r i e n c e s i g n i f i c a n t o r v e r y s i g n i f i c a n t g r o w t h i n t h e i r s o f t s k i l l s a n d o v e r a l l p r o f e s s i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t
Power/Soft Skills
Overall Professional Development
P M P e m p o w e r s e x c e p t i o n a l P a l e s t i n i a n e n t r e p r e n e u r s , c o n n e c t i n g t h e m t o a n e t w o r k o f e x p e r i e n c e d i n t e r n a t i o n a l M e n t o r s . L a u n c h e d i n S u m m e r 2 0 2 0 , P M P h e l p s a d d r e s s t h e r e a l i t y t h a t e n t r e p r e n e u r s a n d e x e c u t i v e s i n P a l e s t i n e l a c k v i t a l a c c e s s t o f o r e i g n p a r t n e r s , c o m p a n i e s , a n d e x p e r i e n c e d M e n t o r s P M P f i l l s t h i s m a r k e t g a p a n d b u i l d s b r i d g e s b e t w e e n P a l e s t i n e ’ s d e v e l o p i n g s t a r t u p e c o s y s t e m a n d m a r k e t s a b r o a d . C o n n e c t e d t h r o u g h a p e r s o n a l i z e d m a t c h i n g p r o c e s s , M e n t o r s h i p s f o s t e r l a s t i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p s b e t w e e n P a l e s t i n i a n b u s i n e s s & t e c h l e a d e r s a n d t h e i r i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o u n t e r p a r t s M e n t e e s a d d r e s s t h e i r k e y b u s i n e s s i s s u e s w i t h M e n t o r s 1 : 1 a n d c a p i t a l i z e o n t h e M e n t o r P o o l t h r o u g h e x e c u t i v e - l e v e l w o r k s h o p s , t a r g e t e d M a s t e r c l a s s e s , a n d n e t w o r k i n g e v e n t s .
P M P M e n t e e s a r e m a t c h e d w i t h 1 - 2 M e n t o r s t h r o u g h a m u t u a l s e l e c t i o n p r o c e s s A f t e r a m o n t h - l o n g o r i e n t a t i o n , t h e y s e t K P I s t o a c h i e v e o v e r t h e y e a r . T h e y f o r m a p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h t h e i r M e n t o r s t h r o u g h t w i c e - p e r - m o n t h m e e t i n g s
P M P ' s E n t r e p r e n e u r i a l S k i l l s W o r k s h o p s h e l p M e n t e e s d e v e l o p c r i t i c a l s k i l l s t o g r o w t h e i r b u s i n e s s e s . A d j u s t e d t o t h e n e e d s o f e a c h c o h o r t , P M P M e n t o r s l e a d w o r k s h o p s o n v a r i o u s t o p i c s , i n c l u d i n g L e a d e r s h i p / M a n a g e m e n t , M a r k e t i n g , B u s i n e s s M o d e l i n g , I n v e s t m e n t R e a d i n e s s , a n d m o r e .
P M P ' s n e t w o r k i n g e v e n t s e n a b l e P a l e s t i n i a n s t o e x p a n d t h e i r p r o f e s s i o n a l n e t w o r k s w i t h P a l e s t i n i a n & I s r a e l i e n t r e p r e n e u r s , s e n i o r e x e c u t i v e s , a n d p o t e n t i a l e m p l o y e e s
P M P i s c r e a t i n g o n e o f t h e l a r g e s t h i g h - t e c h e n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p n e t w o r k s i n P a l e s t i n e , a i m i n g t o s u p p o r t a n d e n c o u r a g e g r o w t h . A l u m n i a t t e n d m e e t - u p s a n d e x c h a n g e o p p o r t u n i t i e s , w h i l e P M P a m p l i f i e s t h e i r s u c c e s s b y i n v o l v i n g t h e m i n o u r p a r t n e r s ' a c c e l e r a t o r s , f e l l o w s h i p s , a n d o t h e r i n i t i a t i v e s . T o p r o m o t e c o n t i n u o u s l e a r n i n g , P M P o f f e r s t a r g e t e d M a s t e r c l a s s e s l e d b y P M P M e n t o r s , w h o p r o v i d e i n - d e p t h i n s i g h t s i n t o b u s i n e s s s k i l l s .
P M P ' s G l o b a l M e n t o r s h i p P o o l h a s 8 9 M e n t o r s f r o m I s r a e l , N o r t h
A m e r i c a , E u r o p e , M E N A , S o u t h A m e r i c a , a n d A s i a . T h e y a r e
F o u n d e r s , C X O s , M a n a g i n g D i r e c t o r s , F u n d P r i n c i p a l s & P a r t n e r s ,
V i c e P r e s i d e n t s , a n d B u s i n e s s A d v i s o r s & C o a c h e s .
PMP surveyed 20 participants from Cycles 2, 3, & 4 post-program on measures associated with their business and individual entrepreneurial growth.
1. Mentees received Mentor insight as they designed and developed new products/services, and they tested and adapted products to meet market needs
2.
Mentors helped Mentees conduct market research, define customer demographics & behaviors, and analyze market trends They also worked on finding effective branding, positioning, and marketing strategies to engage with t these audiences
3.
Mentors provided guidance on structuring and growing the business by helping to identify revenue streams, generate pricing strategies, and create a sustainable business model. Mentees made plans for scaling their businesses and managing resources effectively
4.
Raising funds and attracting investors can be challenging in any marketespecially in an underdeveloped tech ecosystem From pitching to structuring investments, Mentees gained insight into the investment process and secured impressive funding this year!
5.
Mentees reported enhancements in various leadership competencies, including strategic and critical thinking, management and leadership style identification, effective communication, emotional intelligence, delegation, team building, and self-confidence They implemented new management methodologies, hiring initiatives, and operational plans.
Being a Mentor to Palestinian Entrepreneurs is my small contribution to a better world for my kids and an invaluable way to enrich my own network and knowledge
Joséphine KantSERIES A PROGRAM MANAGER, Y COMBINATOR
Mentoring with PMP allows me to apply my expertise to a region with a lot of economic and business potential. Palestine is unique in its opportunities and challenges, and supporting my Mentees to build their careers has been such a rewarding and fulfilling experience. I highly recommend PMP to anyone looking to give back and learn in return
Dr. Sharon Moshayof
MANAGING DIRECTOR AT MOSHAYOF GLOBAL CONSULTING LTD.
As someone who believes in Mentoring and supporting young talent, I am delighted to be a member of the PMP Mentor Pool. I firmly believe in building bridges across the region and am happy to play my small part in doing so
Khaldoun ShedhadehCO-FOUNDER & CFO, QUANTUM COLLECTIVE
Pay-it-forward mentoring at PMP is like being teacher and student simultaneously, coming with the instant reward of meaningful learnings & genuine connections.
Tamar Belkin VP MARKETING, SIGHTFULLParticipating in the Palestinian Mentorship Program has been one of the more gratifying experiences of my career It was a true pleasure to work with my Mentee. She's such an amazing young woman on the path to success!
P e r c e n t a g e o f p a r t i c i p a n t s
B e f o r e P I P , 6 0 % o f p a r t i c i p a n t s s u r v e y e d * s t a t e d t h a t t h e y h a d r a r e l y o r n e v e r h a d p r o f e s s i o n a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h I s r a e l i s . A f t e r i n t e r a c t i n g w i t h I s r a e l i s t h r o u g h P I P , p a r t i c i p a n t s e x p e r i e n c e d a c o n s i d e r a b l e c h a n g e i n s e v e r a l s o c i a l m e t r i c s , i n c l u d i n g t h e i r c o m f o r t t r a v e l i n g i n I s r a e l , v i e w s o f c r o s s - b o r d e r w o r k , a n d p e r c e p t i o n s o f I s r a e l i s o c i e t y .
I S R A
U n c o m f o r t a b l e C o m f o r t a b
PIP evolves the relationship between our two societies, while giving a people who are usually closed off to opportunities the chance to engage with global companies. Most importantly, PIP gives us a chance to know new people.
I feel comforted knowing there are opportunities in the Israeli market for me. I only have this feeling because of a strong mediator that supports my employment and my existence in Israel: PIP.
I joined PIP to widen my professional network. I was looking to strengthen my career path. I felt that the high-tech world was "far away" and unreachable. But with PIP, I realized it was attainable: it was "right next door".
PIP has changed my life. When I graduated, the opportunities to find a job were very limited. I felt upset, and helpless. Once I was accepted to PIP, amazing people helped me prepare for the job market. Interning as a React Developer was the best work experience I have ever had Everyone was supportive and positive, and I work at Amal to this day as a Developer.
My vision is to start a hi-tech ecosystem for East Jerusalem by establishing a tech company in the heart of Jerusalem I want our youth to be exposed to it and encouraged to study STEM. Tech is their future, and they have the right to access tech in their own city. My Mentor, Gai Hetzroni, guided my team and me to access and navigate the tech ecosystem. He gave me the right tools to develop my idea Many of our successes would not have happened had PMP not connected me with Gai.
PIP's programming was very valuable to me. My PIP Internship with Gulf Red Med took me to Dubai. The experience was very challenging, but it had a huge impact on my growth. The skills I learned in PIP's workshops influence how I approach projects that I am working on now I've found that when I'm required to learn new skills today, it is less difficult and intimidating because of the experience and abilities I gained during my internship
This Internship was a huge opportunity for me to join a company like Pitango, which has an incredible history in the Venture Capital industry After my Internship, I was hired by Pitango as a Value Add Analyst. I am grateful to work with a team that has exceptional experience and background in the field Thank you, Pitango and PIP, for this opportunity!
During my six-month Internship as an Internet Project Manager, I experienced significant personal and professional growth. My role was to build infrastructure to connect remote Palestinian communities to internet access. This challenging work honed my technical, leadership, and communication skills. I learned the value of effective project management and teamwork I am deeply grateful for the supportive mentors and colleagues at my host company who helped shape my journey I wholeheartedly recommend PIP to anyone seeking meaningful growth in a dynamic environment.
My biggest dream has now come true. My small company has grown to 20 employees since joining PMP. We manage digital marketing services for a variety of markets, and have earned success in the e-commerce space. PMP helped me to establish KPIs and my management methodologies Today, we have more than 20 clients- an amazing evolution since my introduction to PMP!
Nir Heimann CTO & CO-FOUNDER
Karin Shlomo OPERATIONS MANAGER
Our experience with PIP has been extremely positive Non-experienced individuals face more challenges when paving their way in the industry, and young Palestinians come across more immense barriers and fewer opportunities. As an organization, we are committed to fostering the growth and development of young talent and promoting diversity. The PIP interns brought fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and valuable skill sets They settled in quickly and became valued team members, building strong professional and personal relationships with their colleagues and contributing to a positive work culture. It's a win-win overall and a highly recommended program!Chemi Peres MANAGING GENERAL PARTNER & CO-FOUNDER
We were privileged to work with Nataly Yousef through PIP. Nataly is passionate about venture capital and impact investing and came to us with energy and passion that is contagious. She immediately started working on impact projects and gradually worked with our whole team in reviewing investment opportunities and value creation The match done by PIP between Nataly and us was perfect, and indeed after a few months, Nataly accepted an offer to join our team on a full-time basis. This is the best proof of finding the right person for the right job She is hard-working, motivated, smart, and dedicated, and we couldn’t be happier to have her on our team She is living proof that diversity is important for companies. Thanks, PIP, for this perfect match.
YADIN KAUFMANN (Chairman of the Board) founded the Palestinian Internship Program in 2014 Yadin has been involved in venture capital since 1987 He is the founder of Veritas Venture Partners, an early-stage Israeli venture fund management company, and of Sadara Ventures, the first fund investing in early-stage Palestinian technology companies Yadin founded and is Chairman of Tmura, a leading non-profit organization in the Israeli high-tech sector In 2017, Foreign Policy named Yadin one of its 50 “Global Thinkers”
ABED NASHEF is the managing partner at NAS&Co , a boutique business law firm he co-founded, and is an Of Counsel at Pearl Cohen, an international law firm which operates from offices in Tel Aviv, NY, Boston, LA and London. He focuses his practice on diverse areas of corporate and commercial law, with particular focus on cross-boarder transactions, venture capital financing and acquisitions and representing entrepreneurs and venture-backed start-ups Abed is involved in a number of non-profit organizations and initiatives focusing on fostering technology and entrepreneurship
MAYSA BARANSI, a human rights and a peace activist, cofounded All for Peace radio, the first Palestinian-Israeli Peace radio station, and served as its Executive Director for over ten years She currently serves on the board of a number of organizations, including JEST Hub in Jerusalem, Alliance for Middle East Peace, and Kids 4 Peace Maysa since worked in the fields of CSR, PR and entrepreneurship at BCI Group, a leading telecommunication company in Palestine, Jordan and the UAE.
HANI ALAMI is CEO of Coolnet, one of Palestine’s leading providers of broadband and communication technologies With multiple acquisitions and mergers in the telecom sector, he leverages his experience and network to mentor and support emerging entrepreneurs. In 2015, Hani established JEST (Jerusalem Entrepreneurs for Society and Technology), the first entrepreneurship center and hub for startups in E Jerusalem JEST, which works closely with PIP, promotes technology and the culture of innovation, emphasizing programs for women and youth
JESSE DIVON is a strategy & commercial growth specialist in the tech sector, currently at Placer ai He has consulted widely on projects relating to economic development and international cooperation in the Middle East From 2016 to early 2018, he served as PIP’s Program Director Jesse studied a BA in Middle Eastern & Islamic Studies with Arabic at Cambridge University and an MBA at Tel Aviv University Originally from the UK, Jesse lived in Israel for ten years before moving to the United States where he now resides.
TALLY ZINGHER, an attorney and technology consultant, is CEO of Dawsat, a weight loss and wellness solution based on the traditional Middle Eastern diet Previously, she was managing director at Blue Laurel and the co-founding managing director of the MENA Investment Network. Tally also practiced corporate law at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, including a secondment with Istithmar, the sovereign wealth fund of Dubai With expertise in Middle East economic development, she is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
RON AVIV is a multidisciplinary manager with particular focus on impact, diversity and inclusion. As Managing Director of Hybrid, an Israel-based accelerator for Arab-led startups, Ron advised dozens of early-stage entrepreneurs who went on to raise $5M to date Prior to that, he served as CEO of Robus, a marketing and consulting firm focused primarily on law firms. Ron holds an MBA from INSEAD, as well as an LLB an BA in Law and Government from Reichman University. He is fluent in Hebrew, English and Arabic
ANNA GOL-DEKEL is PIP's Executive Director, responsible for the day-to-day running of the organization. Born in New York City and raised in Toronto, she holds a B A in Peace, Conflict, and Justice Studies from the University of Toronto’s Munk School and an M A in Conflict Resolution from Tel Aviv University in 2016. Prior to joining PIP in January 2018, Anna worked with boutique recruitment firm Venture Talent as an Executive Recruiter for startup and high tech companies in Toronto. Anna specializes in mediation, conflict resolution, and negotiation
MOLLY KALAT is PIP's Program Manager, facilitating company recruitment, Intern matching, Mentor/ Mentee relationship building, and programming Originally from Denver, Colorado, Molly earned a B.S. in Economics from Tulane University, minoring in Math and Public Health
She joined PIP in 2021 during her MA in Conflict Resolution and Mediation at Tel Aviv University, during which she became a certified Mediator Before her MA, she was a teacher in Israeli schools. She's experienced in program design, leadership development, and facilitation
MOHAMMED A g , responsible for participant engagement and recruitment, programming development, and outreach. Mohammed received his B.S. in Energy and Environment Engineering from An-Najah University, during which he helped found the first chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers in Palestine Mohammed has 11 years of experience working and participating in international affairs programs and is also a certified dialogue and conflict transformation facilitator.
PIP thanks our generous funders for 2022: the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, the Jacob and Hila Blaustein Foundation, Bader Philanthropies, and the U.S. State Department's Palestinian Affairs Unit. We also thank our pro bono service providers Pearl Cohen, DLA Piper, and PricewaterhouseCoopers for their invaluable support.
