As a manager at the Yasmin Lukatz Family Office, I invested in startups and supported social impact organizations. Working closely with a group of tech entrepreneurs and managers, we have witnessed how Israeli technology has been changing the world, and at the same time we recognized an opportunity to harness this innovative spirit to make a difference in the Israeli social landscape.

This realization led us to establish Code for Israel, the volunteer movement of the Israeli tech ecosystem. To date, our fast-growing community of over 1,000 volunteers has collaborated with some 50 social and tech organizations to establish around 40 social projects that aim to make a positive impact on Israeli society.

Code for Israel volunteers come from diverse tech backgrounds and all levels of seniority, but what sets them apart and inspires me is their consistent dedication to developing products that impact Israelis’ lives in education, medical and social services and more.

Algorithms built by our movement are improving cancer diagnostics, detecting agricultural theft and helping people with PTSD deal with their day to day challenges. However, we are just getting started.

One of our greatest challenges was bridging the gap between the high-tech and social sectors as each group communicated differently. All stakeholders were eager to collaborate, but the social buddies needed new ways to solve old challenges and the tech people sought a place to create a positive impact using their unique skills.

After several batches of collaboration, we were able to establish a new sort of language that combined both points of view and working habits.

Working alongside some of the most talented and compassionate individuals in my industry has enabled me to gain valuable insights and collaborate on impactful projects. Though we continue to optimize our approach, I’m proud of the progress we’ve made and excited to expand it to more communities and organizations.