Dafna Schwartz

Prof. Dafna Schwartz joined the Adelson School of Entrepreneurship at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC), Herzliya, Israel in October 2017. She was appointed on 8.2020 as the Director of the research authority, IDC.

Prior to joining IDC she was a professor at Ben Gurion University (BGU), where she initiated and headed programs in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship . She established the “Entrepreneurship, Innovation and High-Tech Management” track at the Department of Business Administration (MBA) and headed the program since its establishment. She developed and led the “Bengis Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation” since its establishment (2000), first as the Director and later on as the Director and Chairperson of the Center. She was a member of the Executive Committee of BGU and Senate representative to the Board of Trustees

Her specialization areas are: Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Economic and Business Development, High-Tech Industry, Start-ups, SME's, and Regional and Local Economic Development.

She is an economic consultant and has been involved in economic consulting, research and projects in Israel and abroad with leading national and international organizations (EU, World Bank, governmental entities and others) in countries such as: Brazil, Ethiopia, China, India, Guatemala, Kenya, Angola, Paraguay and others. She has extensive experience as a board member of many leading Israeli corporations. She is currently serving as a member of the board of Inovytec medical solutions Ltd, a member of executive committee of the Israeli Camerata, Jerusalem and the Educating for Excellence (Hinuch LePsagot) .

Previously, among others: Strauss Group Ltd , Bank Hapoalim Ltd. Oil Refineries Ltd., Teva, Rotem Industries Ltd., Giron Development and Building Ltd, Al-Bad Massuot Yitzhak Ltd., Israel Discount Bank Ltd., Israel Phoenix Insurance Company Ltd, Leumi Securities and Investments Ltd. (formerly Psagot-Ofek Investments House Ltd.), Orda Print Industries Ltd. the Israel Small and Medium Enterprises Authority and others.

She was previously, among other activities, a member of: the Israel National Council for Research and Development, She is a member of the Advisory Council of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to help formulate policy and strategy for its Department for International Development Cooperation - MASHAV: a member of the EU Expert Group on "Policy Relevant Research on Entrepreneurship and SME's"; European Commission; Enterprise and Industry Director General; and, the Fifth European Framework Program Expert Advisory Group on Improving the Socio-Economic Knowledge Base, European Commission, Science, Research and Development. She was a Member of the Committee for the Prime Minister's Prize for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.

She was nominated as one of the 100 most influential people of the Israel economy for the year 2011 by the Israeli economic newspaper TheMarker. In 1996 was nominated as a “Globes Career Woman of 1996” in the field of economics. In 2014 she was nominated as an honorary member of ACS – Cearense Academy of Science, Brazil

Prior to joining BGU during 1994-1999, she was the CEO (Director General) of the Development Study Center, an institution engaged in research and training activities related to economic and regional development in Israel and developing countries.

She received a B.A. in Economics from Tel-Aviv University in 1973, a M.Sc. in Agricultural Economics and Management from the Hebrew University in 1977 and a Ph.D. in Economics from the Hebrew University in 1990 on the topic: The Impact of the Law for the Encouragement of Capital Investment on Industrial Investment in Development Towns. She was Visiting Scholar at Harvard University (summer, 1991.