Our Core Purpose

Our Story

Our Generation Speaks was founded at Brandeis University in 2014 to respond to the deep-seated fear, distrust, and hopelessness felt by too many young Palestinians and Israelis, many of whom have rarely met outside of a militarized context.

We believe the way to break this cycle of violence, distrust and injustice is to empower a new generation of leaders. Our work is to build the human infrastructure of hope and trust by cultivating leaders who, through shared experience and mutual respect, will build a peaceful and just future.
We recognize that the entrepreneurial spirit—resilience, resourcefulness, and drive to build—is the most powerful vehicle for forging this shared community and creating lasting change.

In partnership with world-class institutions like MIT and MassChallenge, we launched a fellowship program for young Israelis and Palestinians where they could strengthen their leadership skills; bring their biggest, boldest ideas to life; build and launch ventures; and join a lifelong cross-border community. Our fellowship programs give fellows access to elite faculty, industry-leading workshops, and a powerful network to ensure their success as leaders and entrepreneurs. And in our alumni community, OGS Next programs and support continue to boost, elevate and amplify the leadership of our alumni.

Since flying our first cohort to Boston in 2016, more than 200 young Palestinians and Israelis have participated in the fellowship. Our Generation Speaks has grown into a thriving community of Palestinian and Israeli leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers. Our community members have launched dozens of business and social ventures that create jobs and lasting impact in the region. OGS-incubated ventures have raised nearly $50 million in external funding. Beyond their ventures, our alumni continue to bring their entrepreneurial spirit to action by launching new initiatives that build bridges and solve for pressing challenges.