From students to entrepreneurs

The fourth cohort of the “HandZone” Acceleration Program at HIT pitched promising ventures to investors.

The young entrepreneurs of the fourth cohort of the “HandZone” Acceleration Program at HIT

The HANDZONE program’s "Demo Day" was held last week, during which the young entrepreneurs presented their six ventures to an audience of over 100 guests - prospective investors, representatives of large companies, academic faculty, family, and friends.

The six projects that were presented include:

• SPEAKO
  Raz Malka - graduate of the Department of Industrial Design
  Speako is a platform to treat stuttering, based on a known treatment method. Using this platform, kids can practice it digitally through a fun and creative way, that is supported by speech therapists. The platform also collects data about the child's progress and can be used alone or in front of speech therapist.
• TORI
  Anita Malinsky, Gal Oxenberg, Chen Shternin - 3rd year students at the Faculty of Instructional Technologies
  Ron Ozer, third year student at the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
  Tori is an app that integrates different healthcare systems, including HMOs, hospitals, and private clinics, to allow patients to exchange medical appointments with each other. Our goal is to reduce the "No Show" phenomenon and decrease the long waiting times for medical care.
• SUPER
  Sharon Mizrahi - fourth year student at the School of Computer Science
  Super is a platform that strives to simplify the shopping experience for consumers by reducing the amount of time spent at the supermarket. This is achieved by promoting changes in consumer behavior, which involves eliminating emotional decision-making from the selection of products to payment.
• VEZOT
  Shay Buchnik - fourth year student at the Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Technology Management
  Auxiliary device for synagogues: an automatic scrolling machine for the Torah book.  A robotic arm rolls and directs the Torah scrolls quickly and easily while maintaining their sanctity and our commitment to Halacha.
• LATWO
  Ido Tadmor, Dor Levy - 4th year students in the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
  Latwo's AI-based platform offers a digital waiter for diners and for restaurant staff. It provides personalized recommendations, seamless ordering, and secure payment, while helping waiters optimize their service.
• MODO
  Elad Ahi-  graduate of the Department of Industrial Design
  Modo is a solution aimed at making a better financial future for places that serve alcohol. Modo is an IoT spout controlled by the bartender to monitor and adjust the pour amount and collect real-time data.

"The ‘Handzone’ program of FUTURE, HIT’s entrepreneurship and innovation center, is undoubtedly our flagship program," says Galit Kol Aginsky, its Director. "We issue an open call to groups of potential student entrepreneurs, and those chosen embark on a 6-month program during which they receive tools and resources from us, including financing, mentoring, professional and business support to develop their venture. During the program, they transform from students to entrepreneurs with a consolidated venture, POC (Proof of Concept), network of connections.  They are ready to go out into the entrepreneurial ’ecosystem’".

“The “Demo Day” is the culmination of the program, and this evening was definitely a fitting highlight for us - the six projects presented fascinating ideas and were applauded by the investors and representatives of the companies, who showed great interest in the end-results."

"We see ourselves as responsible for creating a new channel for the  entrepreneurial ecosystem in Israel”, says Taly Malach Banaim, Director of the FUTURE Entrepreneurship Center. "The Center is a melting pot of HIT’s students, graduates and faculty.  The Institute provides a fertile and attentive resource which leverages the capabilities of these future entrepreneurs.”

Posted: 30/05/2023