(Courtesy of Birthright) Over 400 Excel Fellows from North America and around the world gathered in Battery Park City, New York, this weekend for the Birthright Israel Excelerate25 Summit. Participants came from 10 countries: the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Argentina, the U.K., Spain, France, Italy, South Africa, as well as 30 delegates from Israel. The theme of the summit was “Building Bridges. Building Business. Building the Jewish Future.”
Excel is a lifelong, global business fellowship, part of Birthright Israel, that identifies and brings together the next generation of Jewish business leaders. After completing a summer business or tech internship in Israel, the Excel community provides immersive opportunities in professional development, networking, personal growth, Israel engagement, and Jewish identity.
After their internships, Excel fellows maximize their experiences by taking on positions at top-tier companies such as J.P. Morgan Chase, Bain & Company, Palantir, and Google, developing strategic partnerships with Israeli companies and starting their own businesses, often hiring other fellows.
Throughout the weekend, participants engaged in global networking opportunities and attended peer-to-peer workshops on topics ranging from impact investing to climate tech, AI, and the evolution of venture capital. These panels were led by Excel fellows themselves who are rising stars across a wide range of business and tech fields. Additional panels focused on business development, Jewish identity and Israel engagement, with discussions also led by Excel fellows.
Among the distinguished speakers was Tom Nides, vice chairman, strategy and client relations, at Blackstone and U.S. ambassador to Israel from 2021-2023. He spoke on the “Intersection of Diplomacy and Business.”
“The fact that you showed up here means something. Excel is part of your Jewish journey — it’s in your soul. It’s about being kind and decent. You can balance that between making money. Giving back is a huge element of being Jewish,” he told the participants.
The summit also featured a talk by Shaun Maguire, partner at Sequoia Capital, a leading American venture capital firm. His talk focused on advocating for Israel through both investment and support.
Additionally, Excel fellows David Feldman, principal at Flint Capital, and Erez Agmon, CEO and co-founder of Vayu, the platform transforming billing and revenue management for B2B tech companies, discussed their recent success in raising $7 million in seed funding, co-led by Flint Capital. This success story, driven by the two Excel fellows, is largely attributed to the connection they forged through the Excel Fellowship network, along with Excel chair, Yoram Tietz (current senior advisor at General Atlantic), who is a Vayu board member.
Other distinguished speakers at the summit included Gal Bukshpan, an Excel fellow from 2021 and Nova Festival survivor; Ali Truwit, two-time paralympic medalist and Excel fellow; Dan Senor, bestselling author and business leader; and Nadav Eyal, leading journalist and adjunct professor at Columbia SIPA.
“An unprecedented number of Excel fellows across the world are collaborating on business ventures and initiatives to support Israel and our collective Jewish future. These are the changemakers of this generation, and we’re thrilled to support their energy and intellect as they make their mark,” said Birthright Israel Excel’s executive director Idit Rubin.
Since 2011, Birthright Israel Excel has been dedicated to developing the next generation of Jewish business leaders. The Excel fellowship selects extraordinary college students worldwide for a summer business or tech internship in Tel Aviv at leading companies. Upon their return, Excel fellows join a global community that provides resources for professional and personal development, Israel engagement and philanthropy.
“At a time when the global Jewish community is navigating unprecedented challenges, Birthright Israel Excel continues to stand out as a beacon of unity, innovation and leadership,” said Gidi Mark, CEO of Birthright Israel. “This summit showed the power of our fellows — rising business leaders from across the world — who are not only shaping the future of global industries but also stepping up to strengthen Jewish life post-Oct. 7. We are deeply proud of this extraordinary network and remain committed to empowering them as they build bridges between Israel and the world, and between Jewish identity and professional excellence.”
