'Forbes’ 30 Under 30 summit draws hundreds to Israel

Israel was chosen for its “incredible entrepreneurial culture,” a company representatitve said.

MAY 9, 2018 05:42

Updated: MAY 9, 2018 05:54

Supermodel Bar Rafaeli and Randall Lane, Chief Content Officer at Forbes Magazine at the Forbes Under 30 Summit Global (photo credit: SASSON TIRAM) — Supermodel Bar Rafaeli and Randall Lane, Chief Content Officer at Forbes Magazine at the Forbes Under 30 Summit Global

(photo credit: SASSON TIRAM)

Some 800 of the world’s best and brightest young minds descended upon Israel this week as part of the first-ever Under-30 Summit Global, sponsored by Forbes magazine.

The summit brought together entrepreneurs from Forbes’ 30 Under-30 lists from 38 countries around the world for a four-day event held in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

“This is the first time we have ever brought [all] 30 Under-30 [groups] from around the world for a global summit,” Randall Lane, Chief Content Officer at Forbes, told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.

He added that “...we recognize that there is only one global economy and these are people who don’t see borders, they see opportunities.”

When asked why Forbes decided to hold the mega event in Israel, Lane said that the country was chosen for its “incredible entrepreneurial culture” and its “history as a crossroads for the entire world” as well as the magazine’s past success in hosting two regional summits.

“This is our 3rd year [holding an event in Israel]... we believe that the best way to push the world forward is through engagement... so the idea of bringing hundreds of people to see for themselves what is going on is part of the allure,” Lane added.

As part of the global event, participants received start-up advice from Waze co-founder Uri Levine and Internet entrepreneur Yossi Vardi; heard from professional basketball player and entrepreneur Amar’e Stoudemire about starting new ventures as a second act; received inspiration and heard musical performances by Grammy award-winning artist Kevin Olusola, leader of the popular a cappella group Pentatonix; and heard a keynote speech from media personality and sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, who also offered “co-founders therapy” to two lucky startups – this all in the span of one morning.

“The journey of startups is one of failures,” Levine told the crowd of young entrepreneurs as he outlined the “varying degrees of ‘No’” that he heard along the way in developing GPS navigation software Waze, now used by millions around the world. “So fail fast, so you can rebuild fast,” he added.

And in a land where even supermodels are entrepreneurs, the participants also heard from Bar Rafaeli about her foray into the business world as a partner in the global sunglasses chain Carolina Lemke.

In addition to the star-studded panels, participants got to pitch their ideas to local VCs, ring the opening bell of the Tel Aviv Stock

Exchange, dance the night away at a Tel Aviv rooftop party, watch the sunrise from Masada, tour Jerusalem’s Old City and enjoy the culinary delights of the Mahaneh Yehuda Market.

“The 30 Under-30s – all superstars in their own field – have a runway of 50 years to accomplish things, and we are building bridges and partnerships that can last half a century, in an area of the world that has seen conflict,” Lane said.

“To be able to bring people together who speak different languages but all speak the same language of entrepreneurship – and see that there are partnerships forming – is proving an amazing new element for us,” he added.