Prof. Dafna Kariv, the distinguished Head of the Entrepreneurship–Business Administration track at the Adelson School of Entrepreneurship at Reichman University, has been honored with the prestigious Inspiration Award in the 2026 ETF New Learning Award competition. This accolade, bestowed by the European Training Foundation (ETF) – an agency under the European Commission – recognizes pioneering initiatives that revolutionize teaching and learning methodologies. Prof. Kariv’s recognition particularly highlights her innovative integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance entrepreneurial education and training.
In receiving the award under the category “Entrepreneurial Learning in the Digital Age,” Prof. Kariv presented an advanced pedagogical framework designed to cultivate essential entrepreneurial skills through AI-driven simulation technologies. The initiative addresses a critical challenge faced in business education: the disconnect between theoretical knowledge and the practical application of entrepreneurial soft skills necessary for success under real-world pressures. Unlike traditional learning models focusing on cognitive knowledge, this breakthrough method immerses students in dynamic, interactive experiences that sharpen their capability to execute business strategies effectively.
The project emerged from a collaborative research effort involving Prof. Kariv, Prof. Zohar Elyoseph of the University of Haifa, and Yuval Haber from Bar-Ilan University. Their work leveraged cesura.ai, a sophisticated AI platform, to create an ecosystem where multiple AI agents simulate complex entrepreneurial environments. Each agent plays a specialized role—for instance, one AI agent embodies a rigorous investor who challenges learners with realistic and critical discussions about their business ventures. This high-fidelity simulation provides a safe yet demanding arena for practicing negotiation, strategic pitching, and adaptive communication.
Complementing the investor simulation, another AI agent functions as a mentor, offering nuanced analysis of emotional and communicative dynamics during interactions. This mentor agent helps participants refine their responses and develop more effective communication strategies, based on real-time psychological and behavioral data processing. Two additional AI-driven agents operate behind the scenes, performing detailed mapping of the user’s demonstrated skills and providing structured reflective feedback mechanisms, which are crucial for experiential learning and skill acquisition.
The robustness of this AI-enabled training system lies in its iterative learning cycle: learners engage repeatedly with the simulated environment, receive immediate AI-generated feedback, and track measurable progress over time. This continuous loop enhances skill mastery, confidence, and self-efficacy, vital traits for succeeding in high-stakes entrepreneurial contexts. By formalizing this process, the approach embodies principles of experiential education, systems thinking, and data-driven pedagogy.
The educational paradigm pivoted by this innovation transcends the usual cognitive boundaries, explicitly targeting critical soft skills. These include resilience in face of uncertainty, entrepreneurial thinking under pressure, interpersonal communication, and the capacity to build trust swiftly in complex social exchanges. The system’s design mimics real entrepreneurial ecosystems where success hinges less on textbook knowledge and more on adaptive performance, emotional intelligence, and social acumen.
Since its inception, the AI-based entrepreneurial learning system has been deployed with approximately 300 students and aspiring entrepreneurs across three countries—Israel, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Empirical evidence from these deployments highlights measurable improvements in practical entrepreneurial skill sets. Participants have reported enhanced abilities to manage stress in negotiations, greater clarity in value articulation, and increased confidence in stakeholder engagement, all substantiating the system’s efficacy.
In reflecting on the significance of this educational innovation, Prof. Kariv emphasized that entrepreneurial success metrics must shift beyond traditional knowledge assessments. She argued persuasively that “success in entrepreneurship is not measured by knowledge alone, but by the ability to act under pressure, communicate with precision, and build trust in real time.” Her strategic use of artificial intelligence transforms teaching from passive reception to active, immersive learning calibrated to simulate the unpredictability inherent to entrepreneurship.
The European Training Foundation’s New Learning Award, under which this work was recognized, is heralded as one of the most coveted distinctions in the domain of educational innovation in Europe. It aims to spotlight and support teaching methodologies that integrate essential competencies for navigating the rapid socio-economic transformations driven by digitalization, globalization, and evolving labor markets. Prof. Kariv’s achievement illustrates a successful fusion of cutting-edge technology and pedagogy, reinforcing the transformative potential of AI in higher education.
This accolade not only honors Prof. Kariv’s individual contributions but also underscores Reichman University’s broader institutional commitment to fostering innovation in academic delivery. By embedding advanced AI tools within its entrepreneurship curriculum, the university is establishing itself as a global leader in integrating technology and education, providing a scalable model adaptable to other disciplines and contexts worldwide.
The ongoing expansion and refinement of this AI-powered entrepreneurial learning system present exciting opportunities for future research and applications. Potential developments include enhancing the emotional intelligence capabilities of AI agents, integrating multi-lingual and cross-cultural simulations, and applying machine learning algorithms to predict learner trajectories and optimize pedagogical interventions further. Such advances promise to deepen the system’s effectiveness and reach, preparing entrepreneurs for the complexities of global markets more comprehensively.
Overall, Prof. Kariv’s groundbreaking work signifies a paradigm shift in how entrepreneurial education can be approached, moving away from static theoretical frameworks towards dynamic, technology-enhanced experiential learning. By simulating high-pressure, real-world conditions through sophisticated AI interactions, this initiative empowers learners with the critical skills needed to thrive in contemporary entrepreneurial ecosystems, setting new standards for educational excellence and innovation.
Subject of Research: AI-driven entrepreneurial education and skill development through immersive simulations.
Article Title: Prof. Dafna Kariv Awarded ETF New Learning Award 2026 for Pioneering AI-Based Entrepreneurial Skill Simulation.
News Publication Date: 2026.
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Image Credits: Reichman University
Keywords: Entrepreneurship education, Artificial intelligence, Experiential learning, Entrepreneurial skills, Simulation technology, Soft skills development, Educational innovation, Digital learning, Pedagogical AI systems, Investor simulation, Emotional intelligence, Entrepreneurial resilience.
