WaterEdge.IL, the Israeli Water Innovation Community
Established in early 2021 by the Israeli Ministry of Economy, the Water Authority, and the Innovation Authority as part of a network of innovation communities in various fields. Kinneret Academic College was chosen to lead the water community thanks to the many years of activity of the Water Industries Engineering Department and Kinneret Innovation Center in fostering water innovation both locally and globally.
We work to share knowledge and improve cooperation between various players in the field including start-ups, established companies, design, and consulting firms, water utilities, equipment suppliers, etc., as well as identify and promote significant opportunities for community members. The community strives to be involved in change processes in the water industry, attract foreign investment and increase Israel’s position as a global water innovation leader.
The Community will hold a series of professional and business meetings for community members and will organize professional seminars and conferences as well as Hackathons and other innovation activities.
Ravid Levy
Community Director
I earned my bachelor’s degree from the Hebrew University and a master’s degree from Tel Aviv University, specializing in Biology and Environmental Sciences. My career spans nearly 20 years, during which I’ve held various technological and commercial roles in companies dedicated to providing water and waste treatment solutions. My expertise lies in innovation and technology transfer, specifically moving advancements from the development stage to practical, commercial applications in the water and waste sectors for both industrial and municipal contexts.
My vision for our water innovation community is clear: to foster rewarding and productive connections between entities and individuals from diverse industry sectors. This includes academia, startups, established firms, water authorities, and government bodies. My goal is to solidify and encourage Israeli innovation in the water sector. I firmly believe that Israel can and should continue to lead in this realm of innovation. Our focus will first and foremost be on serving the local water economy. After achieving success domestically, I’m confident that our innovative solutions will resonate on a global scale.
Gal Catz
Community Events and Media
I am responsible for all aspects of the community meetings, both in physical and virtual spaces. I come from a background in marketing and branding, and I also have extensive experience in non-formal education where I learned about the power of creating genuine connections between people. I invite you to reach out to me with ideas and initiatives so that we can continue to develop the water sector in Israel together.
Fouad Taya
Community Projects Manager
I hold a B.Sc in Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering from the Technion, in practice for more than 7 years in design, and consulting for projects in the wet utilities sector (water, wastewater, stormwater management, and pumping stations). As the Project Manager of the Water Community, I am responsible for promoting/initiating the community’s projects from all aspects, in addition to overseeing the professional content of these projects. One of the things I personally consider vital is promoting collaboration between water and sewage corporations and the water community. My goal is to strengthen the connections between people in the Israeli water sector while integrating innovation into corporations by implementing technological aspects together with startups in the water industry.
I invite you to reach out to me. I would be delighted to assist you and brainstorm together on how we can march the water sector into the next decade.
