News Archive
July 4, 2024
We were thrilled to co-host a joint meetup at the Mt. Scopus campus with our partners, Arieli Capital. The event focused on fintech and impact investing, centering around Israel’s new regulations in open banking and payments. These regulations present exciting implications and opportunities for both the financial sector in general and the impact investing sector in particular.
During the meetup, a diverse group of regulators, entrepreneurs, and investors came together. Avital Krupnik from the Israel Securities Authority delivered a keynote address, emphasizing the benefits of open banking for financial decision-making and inclusivity. Eyal Moskal, EVP of Fintech at Arieli Capital, highlighted the efficiency and customer experience enhancements that open banking, open finance, and the open economy offer.
Students from MAAYAN Fund and the VC HUJI Club presented market research and showcased early-stage fintech startups led by Hebrew University graduates, demonstrating the vibrant and diverse deal flow within MAAYAN Fund. You can take a look at the Cheat Sheet they made about the fintech sector here.
The meetup concluded with a panel discussion that explored various aspects of the regulations, including technological implications and the chance to promote a more inclusive finance concerns. The expert panel, moderated by Shmuel (Shmulik) Ben-Tovim of קהילת החדשנות Fintech.IL, dissected open banking’s barriers and opportunities in the Israeli ecosystem. Fintech entrepreneurs and executives, including Yuval Samet (CEO of RiseUp IL), Hilla Ovil-Brenner (Partner at Arieli), Omer Nagar (Co-Founder and CEO at The Garage), Avital Krupnik (Deputy Manager at Israel Securities Authority), and Neria Nefesh (Business Analyst at Bank of Israel), stressed the importance of building customer trust and fostering partnerships.
The open banking revolution empowers consumers, businesses, and the economy through enhanced transparency and better asset management. This unique opportunity allows us to achieve both financial return and measured positive impact. We were privileged to shed light on this during the meetup and increase awareness among different players in the fintech ecosystem. Doing good while doing well is crucial, especially in times like these.
June 6, 2023
We recently hosted an unforgettable event on campus – our first annual 'Friends of Maayan' gathering. It was an inspiring occasion where we had the privilege of welcoming several talented individuals who hold a special place in our fund. We extend our deepest gratitude to our esteemed speakers, Luka Skorochod, Stav Erev, and Evan Renov, for sharing their invaluable insights on sustainability, investments, and everything in between.
Luka Skorochod's expertise illuminated the evolving landscape of impact investing, emphasizing the importance of staying equipped with the latest financial tools. Stav Erev captivated the audience with market insights, presenting innovative solutions to challenges faced by both investors and entrepreneurs. Her perspectives shed light on the path to success and inspired us to push the boundaries of what is possible. Evan Renov's experiences as an investor served as a beacon of inspiration for all in attendance. His stories of supporting exceptional entrepreneurs ignited a spark within us, reaffirming our commitment to identifying and nurturing groundbreaking talent.
The event also provided an opportunity to reconnect with some of Maayan's 'First Friends' – Josiah Rotenberg, the investor that took a leap of faith with us from the beginning. Along with Yaara Deitcher, a respected lawyer and a representative from the esteemed Gross Goldfarb Seligman law firm, who has been providing invaluable support on the legal front.
We were honored to engage in meaningful conversations with Dr. Nicole Adler, our esteemed Business School dean, and other brilliant faculty members and Maayan Fund leaders who graced the event. The gathering also included students from our founding team, as well as those currently enrolled in our investment analyst course. This vibrant mix of individuals symbolized our shared vision for the future and the determination to create positive change.
The 'Friends of Maayan' gathering was a truly unique event, filled with hope and anticipation for what lies ahead. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to its success and look forward to building lasting relationships as we continue our mission to drive impactful innovation.
Stay tuned for more updates from Maayan Fund as we embark on this exciting journey together.
March 30, 2023
We're delighted to announce that the Maayan Fund's opening event was a tremendous success. We had the honor of hosting two venture capitalists: Michael Mizrahi, head of startup investment at Pipelbiz, and Omer Bohchbut, AgriFood tech principal at Champel Capital.
Omer focused on entering the venture capital industry, its hierarchy, and the importance of impact investing. He urged investors to examine the issue of impact carefully and avoid impact washing to make a real difference in society.
In addition, Michael discussed the complexity of the entrepreneurial journey and emphasized the need for investors to identify truly innovative companies. His talk highlighted the importance of careful evaluation to distinguish among the multitude of companies and identify those that bring a new line of innovation to the market.
The Maayan Fund is thrilled to have hosted such an engaging and informative event and can't wait to bring more exciting events to you in the future. Stay tuned!
January 4, 2023
We're proud to announce that we have launched the founder's team training!
We've had some productive meetings, in which we were honored to host Avia Vayner-Chen from Fresh fund, who spoke to us about the venture capital structure, focusing mostly on the Jerusalem pre-seed scene. As well as Dr. Yasmin Ravid from Kinoko who enlightened us with her perspective on a growing startup from the early stage at the Hebrew University. Ziv Elul (another Hebrew University alumnus) joined us for an inspiring lecture about his journey of starting an extremely successful startup. He ended up selling right at the perfect time and starting a new company in the last few years.
It was a pleasure having Josiah Rotenberg join us to discuss investors' expectations and what we can do to meet them.