Fellowship

The Social Entrepreneur Fellowship educates and equips innovators who are developing new opportunities for the Jewish People. These entrepreneurs benefit from ideas, tools, and connections they need to enable their ventures to succeed – enabling them to take their ideas, build them into pioneering expeditions, and launch them into a supportive community committed to their success.

Fellowship Tracks

1. Summer Fellowship: An intensive six-week bootcamp in Jerusalem where entrepreneurs learn practical skills that help them launch their ventures into the world.

2. Year-long Jerusalem Fellowship: Provides six months of hands-on training for fellows with Jerusalem-based ventures.

3. The CJP/PresenTense Boston Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship: Trains local Jewish social entrepreneurs – building a web of individuals in that community who are committed to innovation and the success of the Jewish People.

The Curriculum

As entrepreneurs ourselves, we know what our fellow innovators need – and have proved as much through the dozens of ventures launched through PresenTense each year. The fellowship provides practical tools to launch seedstage ventures, including:

• Developing a business plan
• Entrepreneurial skills and logic
• Pitching the venture
• Recognizing value proposition and defining the product
• Business strategy and risks
• Building business models
• Budgeting for fundraising
• Communications

Elements of the Fellowship

• Cluster Hotseat: Meetings based on Harvard Business School’s Hotseat methodology enabling fellows to practice and refine their pitch in a supportive and constructive environment.
• Training Seminars: In-person training seminars developed by PresenTense.
• Skillbuilding Sessions: Taught by leading practitioners in the host community.
• Workshop Opportunities: For innovators to troubleshoot and grow cross-learning.
• Networking: Opportunities to feature the new venture, and meet leaders in Jewish organizations and the private sector who seek innovative opportunities.
• Mentorship: Pairing with successful entrepreneurs in fellow’s field of interest.
• Launch Night: The final event of the Fellowship, wherein fellows showcase their new ventures to the PT greater community and VIPs to promote and establish networks for their venture.
• Access: Fellows are introduced to and encouraged by a community invested in each other’s success.

Follow-up

Fellows who have successfully completed the PresenTense Fellowship curriculum are provided one year of follow-on advising. A trained member of the PresenTense staff provides advice and support through its Venture Development services -- bolstered by field-specific mentors and coaches organized by the PresenTense Community. Furthermore, graduated fellows receive access to the Yazam Fund to promote the successful start and growth of their venture.