Sivan Ya’ari 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 3 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 has been recognized as one of the most “Inspiring Israeli this Decade” by Grapevine in 2019, 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 3 children.
Learn more: Sivan Ya’ari - TED Talk
2021
LIGHT OF ISRAEL AWARD FROM THE ISRAELI MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
2020
MILLION LIVES CLUB
Awarded vanguard membership status for impacting over 1 million lives across Africa
2019
GRAPEVINE
Sivan was recognized as "1 of 8 Israeli women changing the world”
ALGEMEINER
Sivan was recognized as one of “the top 100 people positively influencing Jewish life”
2018
SOCIETY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (SID)
ISRAEL AWARD
“Israelis Working to Change Lives in Developing Nations”
2017
NOCAMELS
Sivan was recognized as one of “ top 10 most influential Israelis in business science and culture” by no camel
2016
ISRAEL BONDS WOMEN’S DIVISION
Sivan received the “Circle
of excellent award”