the middle eastentrepreneurs of tomorrow2014 impact report

“Education is the mostpowerful weapon whichyou can use to changethe world.”Nelson Mandela

A galvanizing year

11 years ago, a team of Israelis and Palestinians took on one of the most challenging problems in the 21st century. They set out to educate and empower the next generation of Palestinian and Israeli leaders to take action together on social and political change in the Middle East. In partnership with MIT, they formed meet.

Last year was a deeply challenging time for all who strive for this vision of a more peaceful, just and dignified Middle East.

However, we are hopeful when we look back at the overwhelming commitment and passion of our Palestinian and Israeli young leaders. They prove that great challenges can be overcome when we put our minds and hearts together to problem solve. Here is what we achieved and learned together in 2014.

See more alumni ventures like the one launched by Naomi and George tackling media bias

indicators of impact

Valued and resilient connections60% increase in the students who believe there is value in working with someone from the other side (from Year1 to Year2)

72% of alumni are significantly involved in the Alumni Program or Venture Lab, despite social, political and time pressures

Tackling real-world problems

50+ student projects created by bi-national teams

15 alumni ventures that tackle issues like media bias, education, ecology and sharing economies

Joint skills, values and motivations380 young leaders who embody meet values in their school, military and professional communities

300,000 hours of pragmatic skill building

High retention and demand: 85% retention and 1,000 students applying each year (7% accepted)

Alumni Program

The impact of meet ultimately lives through our Palestinian and Israeli alumni. In 2014, alumni took unprecedented leaps into leadership.

Witnessing the horrific violence and racism during the war in and around Gaza this summer, 16 Israeli and Palestinian alumni stepped up to teach CS classes, lead deeper understanding activities, and become role models when it mattered most. That same month, 14 alumni joined with 3DayStartup to ideate and launch bi-national ventures addressing media bias, sharing economies, and education (watch video).

As one alumni participant, Yohanan, said, ”Through doing, through initiation - this is how we can create a real change. We should not just sit and talk. We should do." We are proud of alumni bringing the skills and perspectives they have gained through meet to bear on the world around them.

11Venture Lab projects launched

4.5out of 5 stars: alumni rating of conferences

30mentors and guest speakers

19mentor-mentee pairs

80%live in Middle East

72%actively engaged with MEET and each other

Leading by example

Alumni Program: Challenges

meet’s alumni face one of the most complex and contentious conflicts in the world. The political is personal. After meet they deal with growing isolation from each other’s communities as they enter university or the army. They also have increasing demands on their time, and permits from East Jerusalem and the West Bank are getting harder to secure .

Add to this the challenge of any alumni program to ensure enough alumni are involved in a meaningful way to build those bonds, and for meet to create programming in concert with the alumni board that meets the unique interests and capabilities of their varied stages of life.

Alumni Program: OpportunitiesWe also face rare opportunities. We are reaping the rewards of a growing professional network, including expertise and investments from the Middle East and internationally. We are building on the success of 3DayStartup and meetx (the fall alumni conference), as well as breakthroughs in engaging women alumni in leadership roles ranging from the alumni board to hackathons.

We are excited for the upcoming Social Innovation Case Competition – based on an Oxford Business School model - where alumni will hear from guest experts about issues like healthcare, education and more, then pitch their ideas for bi-national solutions. We are also excited to kick off Wave 3 of the Venture Lab. See the latest news from the Alumni Program and learn more on Facebook.

Student Program

2014 presented tremendous challenges for students, 70 of whom were preparing to meet each other for the first time when the war in and around Gaza broke out.

Facebook posts were increasingly extreme and sane voices of tolerance and critical thinking were met with backlash on all sides. But meet students led by example. You have heard about all but four students showing up for the Summer Program, the highest impact  graduate projects yet (see examples), the first graduating class from Nazareth, and how MIT instructors rallied to support remotely even though many could not be there in person.

Our main focus after summer was adding opportunities to the Yearlong Program for students to further develop bonds and make up the computer science and entrepreneurship education that was shortened during summer.

85%retention from Year1 to Year3

1styear of integrated curriculum: CS, entrepreneurship, deeper understanding

30%returning instructors from previous years

11first ever graduates from Nazareth

Acting with integrity

Student Program: ChallengesThe toll of the conflict in and around Gaza continues to impact us all emotionally and logistically. Year1 students did not bond as deeply due to a shortened summer, and both Year1 and Year2 students had less time to apply CS and entrepreneurship concepts than in past years. Most MIT instructors were not able to come to Jerusalem, but are already recruiting 2015’s cohort of instructors. We are deeply grateful to our staff, leadership and MIT colleagues for their resilience and commitment .

Student Program: Opportunities

With every crisis comes a motivation to act. We have new opportunities in our Student Program with the strongest curriculum yet, a base of TAs who graduated from meet and are now giving back, guest teachers from Zell Entrepreneurship Program, as well as heightened support from Israelis, Palestinians and internationals who lend their expertise and investment in this cause. Each day our students see Israeli and Palestinian staff working together, and world-class institutions investing in their education. They are all proof that pragmatic change is possible.

Funding by type

financials

Costs by program

is a lean organization with a $1.5M budget and 10 bi-national staff.

Summer Educational Program

Yearlong Educational Program

Alumni Program

Student Recruitment

General / Administrative Foundation Corporation Institution Individual

Government

Funding by region

(non Israeli or Palestinian)

our instructors

meet’s volunteer instructors are a special breed. Despite prestigious offers for internships and jobs, they chose to invest in educating the next generation of Israeli and Palestinian youth to make pragmatic change. We would like to send heartfelt thanks to the 22 instructors who volunteered their time and expertise in 2014 .

Although only three were able to teach in Jerusalem - Michele Pratusevich, Divya Agarwal, and Amin Manna’a (a meet alum and MIT student) - all 22 contributed to the most integrated and professional curriculum yet. We hope to welcome many back in 2015.

thank you to our instructorsDivya AgarwalKristen CotnerRishiraj DasElena GlassmanTed GolfinopoulosCorinn Herrick

Tatiana MendozaTim MickelCaroline MorgantiCurtis NorthcuttPhillip OlaleyeMichele Pratusevich

Sadek Jabr*Hojin JeonCiara KamaheleAbigail KleinChristina LeeAmin Mann’a*

Raja ShahJulia SterlingSafia TmiriEvan WangJames White

*meet alumni

our partners

meet is proud to partner with world-class leaders in education, technology and social innovation. Partners provide curricular guidance, in-kind support, mentors, volunteers, funding and matching gift programs, and more.

Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI)

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt visits meet students and alumni in Jerusalem

our investors

We consider our donors to be investors in this network of emerging Palestinian and Israeli leaders .

We were honored to welcome 128 new investors including those present at the Tel Aviv event, hosted by SOSA, and the Silicon Valley event, hosted by Laura Lauder. Earlier in 2014, influencers like Google chairman Eric Schmidt, Wolf Prize recipient Dr. Victor Ambros, and business leaders of Breaking the Impasse visited meet as a model of constructive action .

Our deepest thanks go to each of you who supported meet in 2014. Your investment empowers Israeli and Palestinian youth to take their first steps as problem solvers, in preparation for taking on regional challenges in the future together. We hope you are as proud as we are to be part of the meet family.

thank you to our investors!Contributors of $100,000+Charles H. Revson FoundationEmbassy of NorwayMiddle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI)Righteous Persons Foundation

Contributors of $50,000+Dr. Victor Ambros and Rosalind LeeEmbassy of FinlandThe Gottesman FundYad Hanadiv

Contributors of $20,000+Beverly FoundationBen Gomes and Deborah WeisserGoogle RISEHP-Indigo*

Jacob and Hilda Blaustein FoundationGigi Levy WeissMoshal Scholarship ProgramSainsbury TrustSobell FoundationAndrew Tisch

Contributors of $10,000+AnonymousDan ArielyIzhar ArmonyAnat Binur

Aleksandra Korolova**David and Katherine Moore Family FoundationEva and Ofir KedarYossi and Einat ReichStef Wertheimer*

Contributors of $5,000+Prof. Scott AaronsonMuki AharoniYotam and Eli AlroyAnne Frank FoundationAnonymousBank HapoalimYaron BinurJudi and Larry BohnAsaf DanzigerEmile Bendit Foundation

Contributors of $5,000 +continued

Google**Eyal GuraRaphaela HarlapHarold Hyam Wingate FoundationHerman Dana TrustProf. Daniel JacksonSaul and Dani KleinSam LessinZach LeverenzYanki MargalitYoav and Orr MichaelyAvram MillerMIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI)*

NovocureAlison and Mark PincusProf. Robert PindyckProf. Ed RobertsAvraham ShalelProf. Nir ShavitProf. Louise SilversteinAdi and Ben Sofer Soluto Elie Wurtman

Contributors of $1,000+Anonymous Anonymous Indiegogo campaign donorsLiat AaronsonAnonymousNissim Bar-ElTal Barnoach

Shimrit Ben-Yair**Rami BerachaDror BermanDavid ChissickAarale CohenCohen-Fruchtman-Krieger Family, IncAlan FeldFingerhut FoundationAdam FreedCobi GantzRon GuraOne donation of $6,000 provided a full-year scholarship for a young woman from Jerusalem

Contributors of $1,000 +continuedAvner HalperinIdit HarelGil HirschIturan Location And Control, Ltd.Nechama and Yaakov Karpol-BorekZiv KatalanRobert LemelsonCharles LibickiRan MakavyRob MillerRoi MoreBen NelsonPlaytikaDavid and Julia PopowitzScott Roberts

Leonid Reyzin**Ido Segev**

Eden ShochatProf. John StermanRenn and Maureen VaraRandi Zuckerberg

Contributors of $500+Amadeus Capital Partners LimitedAnonymousArdan AracMichael CurryMichael GarciaLisa Griffiths

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt**Michael KerteszAaron LeeAyla MatalonAryeh MergiYair PechatEddie PowellRafi RazNatan ReyzinTed WangMaurice Werdegar

Donations of $500 helped support the 3DayStartup hackathon, launching four bi-national social enterprises

Dafna KantorAlon KastielBella KazwellAdam KazwellKirk KiefferPete KoomenDenise LeungJanice LeverenzCarl and Suzi LeverenzMelinda LobergDror MargalitMonica MatisonNimrod MayPatrick McCarthyMatt MinoffIliana MontaukNoam NavehAmir OfekAneto Okonkwo

Contributors of $100 +

Luke AbrahamsAnonymousBenzion ArbelNir AyalonPeter BainesNick BaumJonathan BendheimAlice BricknerTooky and Tony BunnagThe DaberelaysNoa ElefantJessica EwingNir EyalMarc and Deborah Fogel

Gates Foundation**Ran GuronIsrael HalpertAssaf HarlapBen HechtFiona HobsonKfir and Shelly Hod MoyalBenzi HubermanWissam JarjouiIna Kalo

Guy ParadisChristopher PeabodyDavid and Cynthia PhitoussiErin Presson LadFidel RamosAndre RoheLior RonYaron SamidMichael ScharfsteinOmer SchatzkyBen SchlesingerHagi SchwartzGarrett SmallwoodMartin SmolinDorothy SullivanMatt TognettiBrain VahalyVeronica VelaNora VoldmanDan WatsonRachel WoodOri Zaltzman

*in kind donation **matched donation

One donation of $300 helped Palestinian and Israeli staff reach 42 schools for recruitment

“The part that was unexpected and so interesting was how frontal the program is about forcing dialogue about ‘the big issues’ rather than glossing over it… this is far more interesting and probably more effective. The highlight for me was when I asked the group I was with whether they argued more over politics or over the app they were building and they all laughed and said ‘the app!’”

Ben Wiener, MEET mentor and partner at Jumpspeed Ventures

our team

More than ever, we are profoundly appreciative of the people behind meet: our bi-national staff and board. Our team models the values we teach, from acting with integrity, to embracing teamwork, to striving for excellence and more. Thank you to each of the team who made 2014 possible. StaffNoa Epstein, Co-CEOAla Sader, Co-CEODana Moss ,

Alumni Program ManagerMustafa Hussein ,

Student Program ManagerTalya Schwartz ,Student Program Manager*Eva Vander Giessen ,

Creative DirectorAda Harverd ,

Administration and DevelopmentRoni Kipnis ,

Jerusalem Program Coordinator

Manal Shehade ,Nazareth Program CoordinatorNoga Tamuz ,Nazareth Program Coordinator*Michele Pratusevich ,MIT Fellow*Rafat Nasser-Alden ,

Logistics CoordinatorYohanan Hruschev ,

Alumni CoordinatorLiraz Sharabani, Guest InstructorYoni Mindel, Guest InstructorElena Glassman ,

MIT-meet Student Group PresidentEric Timmons, CTO

*not on 2015 staff

Board of Directors

Sandra AshhabAnat BinurYaron BinurNoa Epstein, ex officioAssaf HarlapAbeer HazbounZach LeverenzGigi Levy WeissAbed Elharim NashefAla Sader, ex officio

Advisory Board

Prof. Scott AaronsonLynn HolsteinProf. Daniel JacksonYanki MargalitProf. Rob MillerBob RosenscheinProf. Nir Shavit

in the media

This past June, I had the good fortune to travel to Jerusalem to receive the Wolf Foundation Prize in Medicine. My wife and I wanted to donate the proceeds to an organization that brings together both sides to work peacefully. I had the opportunity to visit the meet headquarters... It refilled my "hope" glass. meet is an incredibly important program that is being profoundly transformative, not just for the individual students who learn programming and entrepreneurial skills, but also for their communities. – Dr. Victor Ambros

meet alumni like Mohannad, left, partnered with meet and 3DayStartup to launch socially-minded startups(

watch video )meet featured for Venture Lab bringing together Israeli and Palestinian young

entrepreneurs( read article )

Special thanks to OPEN, 12fps, MyShortClip and Tal Shahar for helping us tell the stories of the people behind meet

Noa Epstein, co-CEO, presented meet model at Saloona “Women @ The Frontier” conference

( watch video :Hebrew)

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Your contribution through donations, mentorship and more help us empower meet’s young leaders to create positive impact with technology and entrepreneurship. Thank you for all of your support .

our storiesClick above to watch this beautiful video from Dania, Ofec, Marina, Gilad and Aseel