Avi Hasson, Chief Executive Officer, Start-Up Nation Central

As CEO, Avi charts Start-Up Nation Central’s strategy, sets its goals, and oversees execution across multiple teams and verticals. He ensures that the 120-person organization adheres to its mission of being the prime driver and facilitator of Israeli innovation that boosts growth and generates global impact.

Avi draws on more than 30 years of innovation leadership experiences, in both the private and public sectors. Prior to his role at Start-Up Nation Central, Avi served as Chief Scientist at Israel’s Ministry of Economy and Industry and as the Founding Chairman of the Israel Innovation Authority, the government agency tasked with planning and executing innovation policy in Israel and a key driver of the Israeli innovation ecosystem’s rise to dominance over the past decade.

Additionally, Avi spent more than a decade as an early-stage investor at venture capital firms Gemini Israel Funds and Emerge, identifying promising startups and helping them scale.

After completing his military service in the IDF’s 8200 intelligence unit, Avi spent the first decade of his career working for several communication technology companies.

Throughout his career, Avi was a member of the leadership and advisory teams of several for-profit and non-profit organizations. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Sheba Medical Center, SpaceIL, and Tower Semiconductor, recently acquired by Intel.

Avi holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Middle Eastern Studies and an MBA, both from Tel Aviv University.