Adaptive Innovation in
Times of Disruption
The notions of entrepreneurship and innovation have been the ‘flavor of the month’ for quite some time now. Creating new solutions for problems, promoting systemic change while thinking (and doing) out of the box are the zeitgeist for at least a decade in many fields, industries and walks of life. As if to validate (and push to the extreme) the famous Greek saying that ‘the only constant is change’ and its accelerating pace – arrived the pandemic and shook our realities dramatically. What are the new risks? And opportunities? What is the role of innovation in such times? Why is it needed more – yet more difficult to achieve – than ever? Which specifics are especially related to your organization? And how is all this relevant to YOU?
Dr. Tsuk analyses key concepts in entrepreneurship, discusses the differences between the pandemic and other crises (such as climate-related and war-made), shows the types of innovations that follow it, and provides tools to promote change inside businesses and organizations.
Courses
At the institute I established at NYU, the Institute for impact and intrapreneurship, we have already taught entrepreneurship to Rabbis, sex trafficking survivors, German high school students (in Mannheim, Germany) among others.
consulting
Working with bodies such as the Israeli Consulate in New York, the Latvian Ministry of Social Services, The World Bank and the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, among others in order to instill innovation and create entrepreneurial mindset amongst their staff members.
lectures
Even shorter interventions, like the one I held at Cambridge, in which I gave the audience a taste of the field, it’s history, key definitions and concepts, and let them play a bit with hands-on tasks of innovation.
Workshops
Such as the one I ran at the Catholic University of Uruguay or at OurCrowd, in which I took a group of professionals through a few days of overview of entrepreneurship, needs assessment and ways to bring creativity and new problem solving ways to their organizations.
Competitions
At Kings College London and Osaka University I conducted innovation competitions for students and staff members, which resulted in new projects, but more importantly: in new ways of thinking and perhaps even mindsets.
Click the markers for more information
Interview with Nir Tsuk, Founder Ashoka Israel
Straightening Bananas: What Makes Innovation in Israel Unique
Peace in the Middle East
Innovation Talks: Dr. Nir Tsuk, "Intra-preneurship: Especially Here, Especially Now"
Dr Nir Tsuk BTC 2014
UIA VIC Webinar: Innovation in Times of Crisis with Dr Nir Tsuk
"For Survivors of Sex Trafficking, a New Start(-Up)" / NYU
Teaching a Man to Fish Isn't Enough / HA'ARETZ
The Danger in Sears Judaism / E-jewish philanthropy
"Innovar por innovar ya no tiene sentido, debe tener impacto social" / EL PAÍS
Israel 2048
/ E-jewish philanthropy
"אנחנו לא רוצים לתת לאנשים חכות - אלא להמציא מחדש את ענף הדיג" - דה מרקר
Dr. Nir Tsuk is a seasoned practitioner, academic and facilitator with over 25 years of international experience in the fields of social capital, entrepreneurship, impact and culture of innovation. Serving as NYU’s Global Distinguished Scholar (as well as a Visiting Professor of Entreprenurship at Osaka University, Japan), Nir has recently launched for New York University the Institute for Impact and Intrapreneurship, connecting New York and Tel Aviv – and bringing the language of innovations to those who need it most.
Prior to this, Nir helped idealist.org – the world’s largest social online talent acquisition platform – to increase its size and impact as its Head of Growth, and has brought Ashoka – the world’s largest social entrepreneurship organization – to Israel, after serving as a Ashoka’s Global Fellowship Director in Washington DC, connecting more than 3000 social entrepreneurs in 72 countries. Nir holds a PhD from Cambridge University in social and political sciences – where he wrote his dissertation on social networks, social capital and intentional communities. Previously, Nir led policy research initiatives at the Community Development Foundation in London and at the Committee for Social Affairs in the Israeli Parliament in Jerusalem.
He has been, among other things, a curriculum developer at the Rabin Centre and the Israeli national authority for Holocaust remembrance, the editor of Israel’s bestselling computer magazine, a restaurant manager, and a street cleaner. Nir advises and lectures citizen organizations, entrepreneurs, government bodies, and companies. He is also a compulsive tea drinker and a fan of animated movies.
