Moriah Scholars in Entrepreneurship Program ignites innovation and visit to Israel

The Moriah Scholars in Entrepreneurship Program is uniquely designed to inspire entrepreneurship and innovation among our Year 11 students.

Now in its ninth year, the program offers a select number of successful applicants each year a week-long trip to Israel to experience and learn first-hand why Israel is known as the “Start-Up Nation”.

After developing a business plan for an idea to solve a specific problem in society and being selected internally as finalists, students then present their ideas to a panel of external judges made up of leading figures from industry and business in a competitive Shark Tank-style pitch event. The winning students are chosen based on the creativity, originality, feasibility, potential success and social impact of their ideas.
Generously funded by Kelly+Partners Accountants in collaboration with The Moriah Foundation and organised by the Israel-Australia Chamber of Commerce (IACC), the 2025 trip marked the return of international student travel to Israel for Moriah College since the horrific events of October 7.

Over six days, ten Scholars (a combination of Year 12 students and 2024 graduates who were unable to travel to Israel until now) visited leading start-ups, think tanks, university departments, and venture capital firms, meeting with entrepreneurs, founders and investors who generously shared their time and learnings.

The Scholars’ winning concepts included Harmony Specs (a wearable solution to help manage anxiety), Flare Up (an app that revolutionises how IBS patients monitor symptoms and communicate with their care teams), and Care Band (a wearable device to diagnose concussion in real time with accuracy).

“We were all given the perfect balance of entrepreneurship experience and exposure and real time conversations and Q&A with some of the brightest, strongest minds in Israel” said Class of 2024 alumnus Eli Jones.
Year 12 student Micah Diamond enjoyed meeting entrepreneurs from a variety of different industries and commented on “the resilience it takes to be an entrepreneur; people are investing in the entrepreneur as much as they are in the product and in the business.”

The program also included a deeply moving day visiting Kibbutz Nir Oz and the site of the Nova music festival in Israel’s south – learning firsthand from survivors about the tragic events as they unfolded on October 7 and hearing about their plans for healing, renewal and rebuilding, despite the very real challenges they all face.

A Moriah spokesperson said: “Our students needed to understand the uniquely Israeli sense of resilience, optimism, and determination amidst the pain and trauma they are experiencing.

Since its launch in 2017, the Moriah Scholars in Entrepreneurship Program has served as a platform for young changemakers. At the inaugural launch, Brett Kelly, Founder and CEO of Kelly+Partners Accountants, shared the driving idea behind it: “We want to inspire the next generation of Australian entrepreneurs – young people who build businesses that matter.”

Ryan Kassel, Director of The Moriah Foundation, reflected on this year’s journey: “It was a powerful, inspiring and insightful week. Every company and presenter had a story and what stood out was the shared language of passion, resilience, and leadership.”

Among the group’s leaders was Akiva Gluck (Class of 2011), a Moriah alumnus now working as a Project Manager at the IACC. “This was a full-circle moment,” said Akiva. “To lead this mission as a graduate of the program’s very community was incredibly meaningful.”

Through the Scholars in Entrepreneurship Program, Moriah College and The Foundation demonstrate leadership in both furthering education and fostering deep connections to Israel, supporting the next generation of thinkers, problem-solvers, and changemakers.