Meet Sivan Yaari Founder & CEO

of Innovation: Africa

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, and educated in the United States with a degree in Finance from Pace University and a Master's in International Energy Management and Policy from Columbia University. Sivan has been working in Africa for over 20 years and for the past 15 years, has brought clean water and light to more than 4 million people across 10 African countries. Sivan and her organization, Innovation: Africa, have received multiple awards including the Innovation Award from the United Nations. Sivan 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. 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 lives in Tel Aviv with her husband and their 3 children.