Full Breakdown
Leaders Program at Ben-Gurion University Puts People Before Start-ups
By Drooid · · How we work
Program Overview and Philosophy
The Leaders program was launched six years ago within Ben-Gurion University’s Yazamut 360 Center, which is directed by Dana Gavish and Prof. Carmel Sofer. Founding director Gadi Bahat frames the initiative as “people-first” entrepreneurship: rather than training students to launch companies, the curriculum emphasizes an entrepreneurial mindset, personal resilience, and leadership skills that are valuable in any career. Students work in teams on real-world projects, and success is judged by individual development rather than the commercial fate of a start-up.
Alumni-Driven Innovation: The ANNIE Platform
Leaders alumni Ofek Eliasko, Idan Mizrahi and Tal Ben-Lulu created ANNIE, a wearable-hardware and software system that streams vital-sign data from injury sites to emergency dispatch centers and hospitals. The venture arose after Eliasko witnessed a complicated medical evacuation during a mass-casualty event, which highlighted gaps in trauma-care logistics. The founders envision ANNIE becoming “as common as defibrillators” and aim to integrate the technology into emergency systems worldwide.
Learning Model and Alumni Network
Bahat describes the program’s three pillars—entrepreneurial knowledge, personal skills, and hands-on work—as “incidental learning,” where students acquire negotiation, public-speaking and resilience while building start-ups as learning tools. Mentorship is formalized through the Leaders Alumni Association, which links hundreds of graduates to networking events, mentorship pairings, and ongoing professional support.
Official Statements & Responses
Bahat stresses that the initiative deliberately avoids theory-only instruction, instead immersing students in practical challenges. He notes that early cohorts were given too much independence, prompting the addition of alumni mentors to balance guidance with autonomy. Eliasko attributes the foundation of ANNIE to the program’s environment, while Mizrahi highlights the importance of making mistakes, developing communication under pressure, and receiving mentorship from industry veterans such as former Microsoft executive Yoram Yaacovi.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We looked at the traditional model and said not every student wants to become a start-up founder,” — Gadi Bahat, founding director of the Leaders program at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
- “We didn’t focus on building a technological product,” — Ofek Eliasko
- “We don’t teach entrepreneurship through theory,” — Gadi Bahat, founding director of the Leaders program at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
- “The start-up is the learning tool,” — Gadi Bahat, founding director of the Leaders program at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
- “Our vision is for ANNIE to become as common as defibrillators,” — Ofek Eliasko
- “The methodology changes; the person remains at the center,” — Gadi Bahat, founding director of the Leaders program at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev