The Technion VC Club (The Sharks) is the first entrepreneurship and venture capital club at the Technion
Established in 2023, the Technion VC Club quickly became a hub for aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators. The VC club links academic excellence with the world of entrepreneurship and venture capital. Recently, the Schulich Foundation announced its support for the club’s activities, further integrating it into the Technion’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. Leaders Fund, the Schulich Foundation’s venture capital arm, also sponsors the club, providing strategic guidance and industry expertise.
A total of 41 students participated in its inaugural session, which concluded in August 2024. In the current session, the club has launched an annual format – a theoretical part in the Winter semester and a practical part in the Spring semester – with 40 students participating.
VC Club Participants
The club focuses on three main areas: education and knowledge transfer, community building, and industry connections. Orel Rahmani, a graduate of the first cohort and one of the club managers, says, “The connection between academia and entrepreneurship is critical for success.”
The club is dedicated to helping Technion students kickstart their entrepreneurial and business journeys during their studies. Participants gain access to professional, high-quality knowledge from leading entrepreneurs and investors, direct meetings with key players in the field, and significant networking opportunities with other ambitious and motivated students.
Led by the founding team, club president Ilan Zendel and club managers Noam Keren and Amit Ben Zvi – who are all students in the Technion’s renowned Schulich Leader Entrepreneurship Program – the club offers its members a rare glimpse into the world of entrepreneurship and venture capital. The leading team also includes Roee Bar, responsible for the club’s digital presence, and Shaked Cohen, the chief designer. Together, they create a platform combining professional content, impressive design, and quality networking.
Ilan Zendel, VC Club president
The Schulich Leader Entrepreneurship Program inspires and empowers students to take initiative, explore their passions, and turn their ideas into action. By supporting the VC Club, the program extends its reach to a broader Technion community, giving students access to valuable resources, exposure to Schulich Leaders, and opportunities to benefit from select program content.
The second cohort of the club has already achieved remarkable results. The club hosted an impressive list of industry leaders managing over $3.3 billion collectively, including senior investors from Viola Ventures, Intel Capital, and Teuza. Club members gained unique insights into startup valuation, investment decision-making, and building successful tech companies.
Among the notable events of the second cohort: a closing meeting at the GUTS innovation center in Tel Aviv, with partners from major venture capital funds in the country, a meeting with Yair Shapira, a Technion graduate and founder of Amplio, which was sold in a notable exit, a psychology and entrepreneurship workshop with Yariv Ganor, and a series of VC 101 lectures with industry leaders. The club also hosts networking events and meetings with successful Technion alumni in the industry. According to club president Ilan Zendel, the club continues to grow and develop, with an emphasis on creating meaningful value for its members and strengthening ties with the entrepreneurship and venture capital community in Israel.
