The University of Georgia’s first cohort of Entrepreneurship Program students traveled over 6,000 miles to Tel Aviv for a Maymester in one of the world’s tech startup capitals.
28 students, mostly from the university's Terry College of Business, spent weeks meeting with dozens of entrepreneurs and studying the institutional framework underpinning a city that hosts 154 startups per capita. The course, Study of Diverse Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystems, examined business models and market development techniques that propel ideas into successful businesses.
“I was struck by how adamant everyone was about leaning into the support systems and communities surrounding them,” said Laura Neely, a rising third-year student studying management information systems. “Despite a competitive business environment, the community of entrepreneurs was eager to help and challenge one another.”
Benjamin Abrams, a second-year student studying finance and economics, said he found confidence through the advice of successful entrepreneurs. “It seemed as though every speaker and company we met consistently told us their best advice was not to be afraid to fail,” he said.
The UGA Entrepreneurship Program plans to host the Tel Aviv study abroad trip again in 2023. For more information about the programs offered through the UGA Entrepreneurship Program visit www.terry.uga.edu/entrepreneurship.