Photo: courtesy of Tel Aviv University

Tel Aviv University scored fifth place in the world for entrepreneurship, according to a global ranking of higher education institutions conducted by innovation policy advisory and research firm Startup Genome.

The only non-American institution ranked in the top 10, Tel Aviv University, came in behind Stanford University, MIT, UC Berkeley and Harvard. Other leading institutions in the 2021 ranking included Cornell, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University.

“This is a very significant achievement for both Tel Aviv University and the State of Israel,” commented Prof. Moshe Zviran, Dean of the Coller School of Management at the Tel Aviv University. “The Startup Genome ranking is a standard of entrepreneurial excellence of the highest level in the world.”

The ranking is measured by the involvement of alumni of the world’s top universities in entrepreneurship, and in the establishment of “scaleup” companies that have advanced beyond the startup stage and are worth at least $50 million. According to the ranking, about 1,300 Tel Aviv University alumni have founded active companies in a wide range of fields, with about 40 making it to the status of scaleup companies.

“Israel in general, and TAU as its leading entrepreneurial university, form fertile ground for uniquely creative young entrepreneurs who establish independent companies and hold key positions in the world’s leading corporations,” said Prof. Zviran. “The rich toolbox which our students acquire during their studies serves them well when they enter the job market.”

Tel Aviv University’s Coller School of Management has about 28,000 alumni, the largest such network in Israel, with many of the graduates holding top management positions. Among the alumni of the Tel Aviv University are Alon Carmeli, founder of Canzon and former CEO of Babylon Ltd.; Nir Zuk, founder and CTO of Palo Alto Networks; and Erez Vigodman, former CEO of Teva Pharmaceuticals.

To help students and alumni of the Tel Aviv University on their path to develop their venture, the Coller School runs an annual $100,000 startup competition. It also operates an entrepreneurship club, bringing together students and alumni.

FertilAI, which develops AI algorithms to improve the success rate of fertility treatments, was one of the winners of the 2021 startup competition. Another winner, Sweet Victory, has produced a mint-flavored chewing gum made of natural plant leaf extract, promising to instantly reduce sugar cravings by blocking the sweet taste receptors on the tongue.

“We are proud of our alumni and students for this achievement and will continue to fortify Tel Aviv University’s position in the top echelons of global entrepreneurship,” Zviran remarked.