Hilly Hirt

Program Officer — Impact Entrepreneurship at the Edmond de Rothschild Foundation (Israel).

Previously, she served as Director of Emerging Markets and International Development at the Israel Innovation Authority, where she headed the India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (i4F), a $40 million fund facilitating investments in industrial R&D and promoting bilateral collaborations in innovation and technology. She led the Innovation Authority’s collaborations with international financial institutions and development banks, aimed at addressing current challenges in the fields of water, agriculture, health services, energy, and ICT.

She was Deputy Director of the Pears Program for Global Innovation, which works to increase Israel’s contribution to international development through technology-driven, financially sustainable solutions with unique economic models for the challenges facing populations affected by poverty. In her role, she assisted international NGOs, investors, government ministries, as well as innovation and various entrepreneurship bodies around the world. Hilly also spent several years at India’s Ministry of Economy, as part of its commercial arm in Israel, guiding investments and fostering business collaborations. Over the past 12 years, she has been involved in a variety of initiatives and organizations focused on leveraging innovation as a catalyst for inclusive growth and economic development.

Hilly is a member of Tel Aviv University’s Faculty of Business Administration, where she teaches in MBA programs, focusing on doing business in emerging markets. She holds a BA and an MA in Political Science and Asian Studies from Tel Aviv University, specializing in India and China. In addition, she holds an MA with honors in humanitarian affairs from the University of Sapienza, Rome, on a UNESCO scholarship.