Sivan Yaari is the founder and CEO of Innovation: Africa, a nonprofit that brings Israeli solar, agricultural and water technologies to African villages. She was born in Israel, raised in France, educated in the United States with degrees in Finance from Pace University and a masters in International Energy Management and Policy from Columbia University. Sivan has been working in Africa for over 20 years and over the past decade, using Israeli technologies, has brought clean water and light to over 4.5 million people across 10 African countries.

Sivan and her organization, Innovation: Africa, have received multiple awards including the Innovation Award from the United Nations. In 2023, Sivan was chosen to light the torch at Israel’s 75th Independence Day ceremony, one of the highest and most prestigious recognitions in Israel, for her work in Africa in the name of Israel. Sivan was listed as one of the 50 most influential Jews in the world by the Jerusalem Post in October 2023. Sivan has received the “Light of Israel” Award from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2022 and has been recognized as one of the most “Inspiring Israelis this Decade” by Grapevine and one of 50 “Most Influential Women in Israel” by Forbes, one of the “Top 10 Most Influential Israelis in International Business, science, and Culture” by NoCamels, and one of the “Top 100 People Positively Influencing Jewish Life” by Algemeiner. Sivan lives in Tel Aviv with her husband and their 3 children.

To learn more about Sivan Yaari: TED Talk Here.  Press.