BGU | PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2023

establish a corporation whose purpose is to empower the city and the innovation district by creating a platform to promote and improve research technologies and attract large companies to the area. The corporation will be spearheaded by BGU in collaboration with Soroka University Medical Center, the Merage Foundation Israel, Elbit Systems, and Dell, and will be called Synergy 7. Likewise, the Israel Innovation Authority established a special track for the city of Beer-Sheva to strengthen its status as a knowledge-intensive industrial center in the Israeli ecosystem. The track focuses on fortifying the city’s research and development infrastructure, strengthening the local entrepreneurship ecosystem, and stimulating the arrival of large hi-tech companies to the area. BGU also applied for a grant to operate an innovative laboratory for the examination and promotion of spatial, regional and urban issues using advanced technological

tools. The lab will involve public participation and be a collaboration between the innovation district in Beer-Sheva, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the IDF’s technology units in the area. BGU’S EXPERTISE IN CYBERSECURITY ATTRACTED NEW MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES TO MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR RESEARCH PROJECTS WITH BGU We applied for and already received two additional grants: a call for cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote joint research with universities abroad and a call from the Ministry of Environmental Protection to establish a DeserTech knowledge center. The latter will provide the infrastructure in Israel and worldwide for vital, innovative applied on climate change, with a focus on the desert environment.

Yazamut 360 0 Yazamut empowers students, researchers and staff from every faculty and discipline to address the challenges most important to them and their communities by providing the skills and support to develop new startups

and run them. Programs include leadership training, a unique student-led venture capital firm, a business accelerator, management courses and innovation training with Google.

IN THE LAST TWO YEARS:

120+ participants in Negev Prime E-commerce program

2 Yazamut alumni chosen as promising leaders by “Forbes 30 Under 30”

2 exits by Yazamut startups

8,000 BGU students engaged in Yazamut activities

$17 million raised by Yazamut startups

Dr. Shimrit Maman of BGU's Earth and Planetary Image Facility with students from the "Space Gurion" community at Yazamut 360°

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Ben-Gurion University of the Negev