Tel-Aviv University, 2025-2026
Contemporary Problem Solving
The course prepares students to tackle the complex and fast-changing challenges of the 21st century. The course draws on cognitive science, design thinking, systems theory, entrepreneurship, and real-world cases to help students identify problems accurately, design creative solutions, and carry them out effectively in uncertain environments. Students learn to distinguish straightforward problems with clear answers from complex ones with no single solution, developing tools to think critically, spot biases, and apply mental models from multiple fields. They also gain experience using technology and AI responsibly, building data literacy, and balancing automation with human judgment. Emphasis is placed on understanding complexity in global contexts—cultural, geopolitical, and ethical—while cultivating resilience, adaptability, and lifelong problem-solving skills rooted in entrepreneurial thinking.
From Idea to Market and Beyond
This course is designed for deep tech PhD students* who aim to transition from academia to entrepreneurship or complement their research with entrepreneurial ventures. It covers the entire lifecycle of technology-based ventures, from scientific or theoretical work to idea generation and validation, fundraising, company formation, team building, market entry, scaling, and growth. The course combines theoretical frameworks with practical applications, emphasizing the unique challenges and opportunities in deep tech startups.
Course given as part of a the new Deep Tech MBA Program at the Coller School of Management at Tel Aviv University.
* By deep tech PhD students are primarily those working in the foundational sciences or in engineering disciplines