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Born and raised in the Tel Aviv area, Ran wanted a change and decided to move to the south of Israel. There he lives in the mountains in the desert. “Just recently, I started playing the guitar.” Bursting with excitement and energy, Ran is considered hyperactive: “I feel like I have to be on the move all the time. Sometimes people tell me that I drive them crazy, but without this, I would not have been able to manage all the rich deal flow that goes through my hands.”
Ran starts by describing his career of over 20 years: “Even though I studied economics, I spent most of my career in the software industry. I dealt with digital transformation; business process management; and data structure and mining. After working for many years in high-tech, I was curious to explore other industries. I founded several startups as well, some more successful than others. Then, I decided to help entrepreneurs with their businesses, from ideation to execution. I managed several programs to promote ventures and entrepreneurs, including international ones, such as ClimateLaunchpad Israel.”
Enabling entrepreneurs has become a passion for Ran. He specializes in taking early-stage ventures and turning them into mature startups. He aims to develop entrepreneurship in the southern region of Israel, in and around Ashdod. He sees this as an upcoming area for startups. “It seems that Ashdod is becoming a vibrant startup ecosystem on its own. A new startup hub, especially in the field of climate innovation. Local and regional efforts by the Ministry of Economy and Industry have given this a huge push. Helping and supporting startups in this transition is exciting but also challenging. However,” he quips, “I like a challenge! It is part of the reason that I jumped on this opportunity. Also, the multicultural environment of Ashdod really resonates with me.”
“Working at Gvahim is great. Everyone is supportive, which makes you feel part of a family. I work with colleagues who want to help you achieve every goal. Sometimes even helping you before you know you need help.” He also enjoys working with entrepreneurial Olim, and they inspire him. “What sets them apart is that they are multicultural and have a worldwide network. You can easily reach out and connect with companies and people outside of the standard Israeli ecosystem. And, it is my role to teach them a bit more about Israeli ‘chutzpah’ to be successful in the Israeli ecosystem. They want to learn and be successful. Although the Israeli ecosystem is often different than what they are used to, they are very motivated.”
“This year, we want to push the limit with more teams and a broader program,” Ran explains. “We wish to engage in particular with more climate startups. Usually, most of our startups are pre-seed (TRL 3-7). In the past few years, we have noticed that many startups have raised funds and are now looking for a place to help them move ahead with these funds efficiently and effectively. We aim to be that place. We want to help them find the best business-, market- and product strategy and give them the skills they need to develop their startup. So, at TheHive Ashdod by Gvahim, we will coach them in overcoming barriers and initial obstacles to their success. We will also support them in various fields such as business, market, design, finance, and IP. Nevertheless, it is important to emphasize that the program we run is for ventures at all stages. We know how to respond to ventures that have only an idea and ventures that are already in the process of raising funds.”
“What sets our program apart from others is the Gvahim Network. Entrepreneurs at TheHive Ashdod by Gvahim will become part of this network. Here they find a fast pool of resources and connections: mentors, alumni entrepreneurs, talented professionals, and companies and organizations with specific skills and knowledge that our participants are looking for.” The program will open in January, and applications will open in December. “So, if you’re interested, get ready!”