This summer, the Tel Aviv University Alumni Organization and the Tel Aviv University NextGen Leadership Global Community, in collaboration with Tel Aviv Youth University and the 8200 Alumni Association, launched SummerTech, a five-day course for teens grades 10 through 12, that was held July 14-July 18 on the Tel Aviv University campus.
This immersive five-day course on the Youth University campus developed entrepreneurial and academic skills for teenagers, and participants managed a project from initial concept to investor presentation. Teens from the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Israel participated, and the course was conducted entirely in English. The majority of the participants in the courses were female, which augurs well for increased participation of women in technology in the future.
“I’ve been to numerous tech camps in the past,” said seventeen-year-old Moriah Adams, from Austin, Texas, “but the TAU NextGen Leadership Global Community SummerTech Program was a game changer because it is at the intersection of my passion for tech and business. The global cohort transplanted into the Israeli milieu was like lightning caught in a bottle. Real-world perspectives from the 8200 Alumni Association speakers left me desiring to delve more into entrepreneurship. The Yiddish word “tachlis” (practical) exemplifies TAU’s approach to product development and go-to-market strategy. Who wouldn’t want to go to TAU, where you have such amazing professors?”
Seventeen-year-old Naama Balicer from Israel added, “The Tel Aviv University NextGen Leadership Global Community SummerTech Program exposed me to a wide range of scientific and academic fields within a week. I met researchers, visited labs, and saw practical applications of cutting-edge research and technology. This experience was enriching both academically and socially, as I made new friends from Israel and around the world.”
The SummerTech Course offered collaboration with industry experts and educators and a curriculum focusing on technology, innovation, and leadership. Topics covered included Space, Revolutions, memory, AI, environment and sustainability, life science, medicine, entrepreneurship, proof of concept, elevator pitch, storytelling, case study, presentation, and demo day.
The next SummerTech Program will take place during winter vacation in December 2024. For further information and registration, please contact Adva Oren – Next Generation Leadership Community Manager at advao@tauex.tau.ac.il.