Call for Startups: HAC – Herzliya Accelerator Center Focuses on Urban Innovation and Ideas – Big and Small…

There’s a lot we can learn from Tair Kowalsky, Head of HAC – the

Tair Kowolsky – ‎Head of Herzliya Accelerator Center

Herzliya Accelerator Center in what she does does.

If more cities around the world had programs like hers, we just might be delighted at what could come to be.

An initiative of the Municipality of Herzliya, HAC is a three-prong format with an open co-working space, some terrific meetups and an urban acceleration program.

I’ve done office hours on behalf of the Rackspace Startups Program, held a seminar on strategic PR for startups and most of all, had the pleasure of walking up and down Sokolov Street, where everyone just seems to know Tair.   She’s having a big impact in the community.   The startups I have met, the teams I have engaged with, and the people that I got to know have been incredibly inspiring.

I’ve met with teams who have big ideas that could literally transform our world. At the other end, I met one solopreneur who built a simple app that keeps her moshav connected and engaged in ways that Facebook or any messaging app just does not work. I often think it’s the little things that matter, are often overlooked, and on a hyper-local basis, really stand out.

Tair’s goal is to help early stage startups through the capabilities of the Herzliya municipality.   She and her team are now curating start-ups to apply to the program with a focus on teams with big ideas in the field of urban innovation, urban solutions, smart-cities, IOT, urban lifestyle, improving community life in the city and yes, even on a moshav.

The acceleration program will give the entrepreneurs access to the city of Herzliya’s database, access to the chief municipal departments, one on one meetings with leading mentors from various fields. Need a place to test your idea in the real world? Your team will also have the opportunity to do a beta or pilot with the municipality of Herzliya.

Month one is focused on your go-to market strategy, playing with different business models, sharpening the idea and of course, the product or platform. During the second month, the teams will have intense meetings with mentors, focusing on the development of their product, defining the business model and will go through workshops designed especially for them. The last month will focus on marketing, making your pitch rock, building a great presentation and presenting your idea at a pitch event.

Less than 10 miles to the north of Tel Aviv, it’s pretty much in the center of the startup universe, near IDC – who has a great program for entrepreneurs, and lots and lots of very successful and seasoned tech people who live in the area, give their time to the program, and bring a collective wisdom that’s invaluable.

HAC a pretty impressive advisory board which includes the likes of Eden Shochat, Liat Aaronson, Liad Rubin, Yoran Bar, Amiram Mel and even the Deputy Mayor of Herzliya, Maya Katz.

Tair is looking to help you with your next big thing – or maybe something small that is actually big.

You see, if you can help and bring impact to community on the scale of a moshav, imagine the impact it would have if 500 small cities around the world embraced, and adopted your product / platform.

You can reach out to Tair via email: tair@herzliya.muni.il,  visit the web site,  and be part of their Facebook group.

Large or small.

If you have a dream that supports the HAC model, you’d be well served to apply.