Ampersand

growth-positive

Ampersand, a co-working space set up by KamaTech, a nonprofit organization, caters to the needs of ultra-Orthodox entrepreneurs and tech workers. The workspace initiative has been successful, leading to plans to double its size and requests to set up similar workspaces in the US. KamaTechs mission is to train and place Haredi men and women in high-level tech jobs. They have helped place 1,000 Haredim at major technology firms and have a database of 1,300 Haredi entrepreneurs. In addition to job placement, KamaTech has set up a startup accelerator that has fostered 40 startups, raising $150 million and employing 600 workers. Ampersand is financially supported by sponsors, including Prof. Amnon Shashua, co-founder of Mobileye. The initiative aims to bridge the gap between the ultra-Orthodox community and the high-tech industry in Israel.

growth-positive

Shirli Zamir Design Studio has designed a new coworking office called Ampersand in Bnei Brak, Israel. The project aims to integrate the orthodox community into the local Hi-Tech market by providing workspaces for orthodox start-ups and workers from the orthodox local community to work for big companies. The design concept is inspired by a local singers song and incorporates a rich color palette and artistic interpretations of the local streets. The project had a low budget, but the studio was able to be creative and preserve as much of the interior walls as possible.

growth-positive

Ampersand, the first ultra-Orthodox coworking space in Israel, is set to begin operations next week in Bnei Brak, an ultra-Orthodox suburb of Tel Aviv. The coworking space is supported by Cisco and received the mentorship of WeWork. It is backed by private investors including Amnon Shashua and Zvi Limon. Ampersand aims to integrate ultra-Orthodox entrepreneurs into the Israeli tech sector and will offer workshops, training, and mentorship programs. The space will be managed by an ultra-Orthodox team and will adhere to religious dietary laws and the Jewish calendar. Ampersand plans to open additional coworking spaces in other Orthodox communities. The inclusion of ultra-Orthodox Jews in the tech industry is expected to have a significant impact on Israels economic growth and stability.