The Ayn Rand Atlas Award for Best Israeli Start-up
Creating Value in Israel and around the Globe
“Throughout the centuries there were men who took the first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision”
– Ayn Rand
ABOUT THE ATLAS AWARD
Established in 2016 in collaboration with the Ayn Rand Center Israel, TheMarker, and Deloitte, the Atlas Award is an annual celebration that partners with leading organizations such as the Prometheus Foundation, Dow Gr., Karyopharm Therapeutics, and others. This prestigious award honors an Israeli startup that has introduced a groundbreaking technology, idea, or product with significant value both locally and globally.
The award was founded on the vision, funding, and initiative of the late Mr. Richard Minns, Carl Barney, the Prometheus Foundation, Boaz Arad, and the Ayn Rand Center.
Selection for the Atlas Award involves a rigorous process where the most innovative Israeli startups are evaluated. An expert committee comprised of VC fund managers from Israel and worldwide, global technology company representatives, and seasoned entrepreneurs selects finalists from hundreds of candidates. From these, 15-20 companies are chosen to present their innovations to the committee, which then determines the recipient of the Atlas Award and the leaders in each category.
Candidates for the Atlas Award are companies chosen amongst Israel’s most innovative, start-ups that meet the criteria for excellence. The finalists are selected following a thorough evaluation by a steering committee made up of representatives from the event’s sponsoring groups.
These candidates then give presentations in front of a jury panel which select the winning company and grant them the Atlas Award.
The Atlas Award itself: The sculpture is an unparalleled portrayal of the mythological Atlas who hoists the world, paying homage to extraordinary achievements.
The Israeli Atlas Award was designed to raise public awareness towards the aspiration for productivity, pioneering, and prosperity by saluting the leading Israeli start-up company of 2021. The sculpture is an exclusive replica of the original, whose market price stands at nearly $100,000.
THE STAGES OF THE ATLAS AWARD COMPETITION:
Registration Stage:
Registration of companies and selection of candidates to advance to the next stage.
Semi-Finals:
At this stage, the Finalists are named. These companies are then evaluated, and invited to appear before the jury panel.
Final Competition:
Companies are selected to compete in different categories for the Finals, followed by the selecting of the overall winner.
The Next Atlas Award Ceremony: May 6, 2025
The award is designed to raise public awareness and express appreciation to the start-up with the most outstanding technology, idea or product that adds exceptional, breaks boundaries and increasing prosperity around the world and within the State of Israel.
The winning company chosen by a jury is granted a full-sized replica of a bronze sculpture of Atlas holding the world. The original sculpture, has a market value of 100,000 USD. The award is presented at a prestigious ceremony held at the Israeli Stock Exchange and attended by leaders from all sectors of the Israeli business world.
The Atlas Award Ceremony program (TBD)
ISRAEL’S RANKING IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP, START-UPS, INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY
Per capita, this young nation of 8,323,248 leads the world in entrepreneurship, start-ups, innovation and technology. Israel has more companies on NASDAQ than any other nation with the exception of the USA. Israel leads the world in the number of researchers per capita; it ranks second in research and development, and third in high-tech density. In world rankings, the Start-Up Nation stands at No. 10, after the USA and BEFORE Ireland, China and the U.K. Israel is Number One in the World in technology start-ups per capita, with over 4,000 active start-ups. Homegrown start-ups are now Israel’s top export, representing over 10% of the growing Israeli workforce, and the economic engine which drives Israel.
