November 10, 2016| jWeekly.com
Three Jewish nonprofit incubators, including San Francisco-based UpStart, have joined in an entity to be called UpStart. The others are Bikkurim and Joshua Venture Group, both in New York. The new UpStart also will include the U.S.-based programs of PresenTense.
Founded in 2006, UpStart nurtures innovative Jewish community ideas, with an accelerator program for entrepreneurs, design services and labs among its programs. Bikkurim similarly helps Jewish nonprofits blossom though its incubator services. The Joshua Venture Group focuses on leadership and management training for Jewish social entrepreneurs, while PresenTense brings together Jewish innovators and entrepreneurs at its New York and Jerusalem-based accelerator, hackathon and innovation workshops.
During the transition period, each organization will continue to operate its own programs. The future UpStart board will include representatives from each group.
“Jewish life has evolved in incredibly positive ways due in part to the success of our organizations, our program alumni and our visionary partners,” UpStart CEO Aaron Katler, who will continue as chief executive of the new entity, said in a news release. “We come together now out of a shared commitment to build on that success and to expand our capacity to serve an evolving field. Our vision is to provide innovators and organizations at nearly every stage with the services and resources they need to succeed.”
Our purpose is to enable entrepreneurs to bring bold Jewish ideas to light. We help them reach Up to people in new ways that are meaningful, more inclusive, and create a brighter future for our Jewish community and the world we share.
