The Genesis Prize

What The Genesis Prize does

The Genesis Prize Foundation, established in 2013 with a $100 million endowment, is an Israeli-registered non-profit Public Benefit Company that awards an annual $1 million prize — dubbed "The Jewish Nobel" by TIME Magazine — to individuals who have attained professional excellence and inspire engagement with the Jewish community and the State of Israel. Operationally, the Foundation selects a single laureate each year and, rather than acting as a passive prize-giving body, works with that laureate to design and fund targeted philanthropic programs in their chosen thematic area. Laureates typically forgo the personal monetary award and redirect the funds to nonprofit initiatives; these are frequently amplified through matching-gift programs administered with the Jewish Funders Network, which have historically doubled individual prize values (e.g., $1M from the Foundation plus $1M from HNW donors such as Morris Kahn, Roman Abramovich, and Paul Singer).

The Foundation's programmatic portfolio spans social entrepreneurship (Genesis Generation Challenge), intermarried family inclusion, disability inclusion, refugee relief, women's empowerment, antisemitism combat, racial and economic justice, Holocaust remembrance, COVID-19 response, Ukraine humanitarian support, hostage family assistance, and most recently Israel–Latin America diplomacy through the Isaac Accords initiative and American Friends of Isaac Accords (AFOIA). Since inception, the Foundation has channeled over $50 million to more than 230 nonprofit organizations across 31+ countries. It operates from a Tel Aviv headquarters with a New York media-facing office, is led by Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO Stan Polovets alongside CFO/COO Ilya Oshman and Deputy CEOs Jill W. Smith and Sana Britavsky, and counts the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel and the Jewish Agency for Israel as founding partners.

The Foundation does not sell products or services and has no technology platform; its "revenue" is derived from investment returns on its $100M endowment, with operations funded by endowment draw rather than commercial income. Its go-to-market is event-driven: an annual award ceremony in Israel (or the laureate's home country), supported by press coverage, social media, and a content-marketing website. Strategic significance in recent years has shifted upstream from grant-making into geopolitical programming — most visibly through the 2026 Isaac Accords between Israel and Argentina — leveraging the prize's brand prestige and its direct relationship with the Israeli Prime Minister's Office to broker state-level cooperation.

Name

The Genesis Prize

Legal name

The Genesis Prize Foundation

Website

https://genesisprize.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Genesis Prize Foundation is an Israeli non-profit that awards an annual $1M prize — the "Jewish Nobel" — to distinguished Jewish individuals, then channels those funds and matching donor contributions into laureate-designed philanthropic programs serving 230+ nonprofits across 31+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

akta.pro primary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

Keywords

• Philanthropic foundation
• Humanitarian grants
• Grantmaking programs
• Charitable awards
• Nonprofit philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

New City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Endowment: The Foundation is funded through a $100 million endowment established in 2013. Operations are funded by investment returns on this endowment, not by revenue generation. The Foundation awards $1 million annually as the Genesis Prize.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Genesis Prize Foundation is a non-profit organization that awards an annual $1 million prize to distinguished Jewish individuals in recognition of professional excellence and commitment to Jewish values and the State of Israel. Laureates typically forgo the monetary award and direct the funds to philanthropic initiatives developed by the Foundation in their honor, with matching funds from other donors amplifying impact. The Foundation operates the prize alongside supporting grant programs covering social entrepreneurship, disability inclusion, refugee relief, antisemitism combat, Holocaust remembrance, women's empowerment, and Israel-Diaspora relations.

Product overview

The Genesis Prize Foundation operates as a philanthropic organization centered on its flagship annual $1 million award, known as the 'Jewish Nobel Prize.' The foundation does not offer a traditional technology product or software platform. Its core offering is the Genesis Prize itself, which laureates typically redirect to humanitarian causes. Supporting initiatives include the Genesis Generation Challenge (a social entrepreneurship competition), the Isaac Accords diplomatic initiative (with AFOIA), and various matching gift programs with the Jewish Funders Network. The foundation has distributed over $50 million across 250+ grant programs in 31 countries since its 2013 founding, covering causes from social entrepreneurship to Holocaust remembrance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Genesis Prize The Genesis Prize is a $1 million annual award, dubbed the 'Jewish Nobel' by TIME Magazine, honoring individuals who have attained excellence in their professional fields and inspire others through dedication to the Jewish community and State of Israel. Laureates typically redirect their prize funds to philanthropic initiatives aligned with their values.
• Genesis Generation Challenge A global competition launched by laureate Michael Bloomberg in 2014 to advance the Jewish value of tikkun olam and promote better, healthier living across the globe, awarding $100,000 grants to young social entrepreneurs.
• Isaac Accords / American Friends of Isaac Accords (AFOIA) The Isaac Accords initiative aims to combat Israel's isolation by establishing closer ties between Jerusalem and Latin American countries. The Genesis Prize Foundation provided $1 million in seed funding to American Friends of Isaac Accords (AFOIA) to support projects in Panama, Costa Rica, and beyond.
• Matching Gifts Program with Jewish Funders Network A collaborative philanthropy initiative where the Genesis Prize Foundation matches donor contributions to amplify support for organizations aligned with laureates' philanthropic themes, including Israeli organizations dedicated to healing communities affected by the October 7, 2023 attacks.
• Philanthropic Grant Programs Grant-making programs developed in honor of each laureate, covering themes including social entrepreneurship, intermarried families inclusion, disability inclusion, refugee crisis relief, women's equality, antisemitism combat, COVID-19 response, racial/economic justice, Holocaust remembrance, Ukraine support, and hostage family assistance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 250+ nonprofit programs funded in 31+ countries since 2013
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Van JonescoreOthers · 17 June 2026Civil rights advocate and CNN political commentator joined the Foundation's Advisory Board to strengthen Black-Jewish alliances and combat antisemitism.
• American Friends of Isaac Accords (AFOIA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Organization launched and seeded with $1 million by The Genesis Prize Foundation in President Milei's honor to establish closer ties between Israel and Latin American countries through the Isaac Accords initiative.
• El Al AirlinesminorOthers · 20 April 2026Announced launch of direct flights between Tel Aviv and Buenos Aires beginning November 2026 as part of Isaac Accords cooperation between Israel and Argentina.
• StandWithUscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025International pro-Israel organization partnering with AFOIA for projects in Panama and Costa Rica as part of Isaac Accords programming.
• ILAN Israel Innovation NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Founded by Mexican philanthropist Isaac Assa, connects Latin American students, entrepreneurs, and public officials with Israeli innovation through immersive experiences.
• Israel Allies FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Empowers pro-Israel lawmakers worldwide with presence in 62 national legislatures, partnering with AFOIA for Isaac Accords programming.
• Passages Israel (formerly The Philos Project)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Prepares and empowers Christian leaders to stand with the Jewish people and support Israel, partnering in Isaac Accords initiatives.
• Rambam Health Care CampuscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025One of Israel's top medical institutions partnering to train emergency response personnel at Costa Rica's National Children's Hospital.
• Fuente LatinaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Works with Spanish-speaking journalists and influencers worldwide for accurate coverage of Israel and the Middle East.
• Yalla Israel (Maccabee Task Force)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Uses social media outreach to foster connections to Israel and amplify voices against antisemitism through Isaac Accords programming.
• Matan-United WaycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2018Israeli partner administering grant competitions for Genesis Prize initiatives in Israel, particularly for women's empowerment and disability inclusion programs.
• Jewish Funders NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 May 2015Administers matching grants programs in honor of Genesis Prize laureates, including programs for Michael Douglas (intermarried families), Itzhak Perlman (disabilities), and others. Has generated over $90 million in new funding for Jewish causes through matching grants initiatives.
• Bloomberg PhilanthropiesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 April 2015Partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies for hosting Genesis Generation Challenge announcement press conference. Michael Bloomberg was inaugural Genesis Prize Laureate.
• Office of the Prime Minister of the State of IsraelflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Founding partnership establishing the Genesis Prize as a collaborative initiative between the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Genesis Prize Foundation, and Jewish Agency for Israel. The Prime Minister of Israel presents the award annually.
• Jewish Agency for IsraelflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Founding partner in establishing the Genesis Prize, contributing to selection committee and programmatic activities connecting Israel and the Diaspora.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wolf Foundation: Israel-based foundation awarding the Wolf Prizes for outstanding achievements in science and arts. Closely comparable as a prize-awarding foundation anchored in Israel that honors individuals for professional excellence.
• Jewish Funders Network: International network of Jewish philanthropists that administers the Foundation's matching-gift programs. Most operationally comparable — both deploy philanthropic capital into Jewish causes via multi-donor collaborative structures.
• American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC): One of the world's largest Jewish humanitarian assistance organizations, distributing aid globally. Comparable as a Jewish-focused grantmaking/relief entity operating across many countries with a century-long track record.

Regional players

• Israel Prize Foundation: Israel's state-awarded prize — the country's highest civilian honor. Comparable as a prestigious Israeli prize, though awarded by the state rather than a private foundation.

Broad incumbents

• Breakthrough Prize: Awards multi-million-dollar prizes in life sciences, fundamental physics, and mathematics. Comparable as a heavily endowed prize organization leveraging celebrity founders and gala ceremonies to amplify impact.
• MacArthur Foundation: Major U.S. private foundation known for MacArthur Fellowships ('genius grants'). Comparable as a high-profile prize/fellowship program backed by a large endowment and distributing significant grant capital annually.
• Pulitzer Prizes: Prestigious U.S.-based awards recognizing excellence in journalism, literature, and music. Comparable as a long-running, brand-defining prize that combines recognition with broader cultural impact.
• Nobel Foundation: Awards the Nobel Prizes — the world's most prestigious recognition across multiple categories. Directly comparable as a globally recognized prize-awarding foundation, though operating at vastly larger scale and across broader thematic categories.
• Templeton Foundation: Large philanthropic foundation funding research and public engagement at the intersection of science, religion, and society. Comparable as a values-driven grantmaking foundation with global program reach and significant endowment.

Emerging players

• Foundation for Jewish Culture: U.S.-based grantmaking organization supporting artists, scholars, and cultural institutions exploring Jewish themes. Comparable as a Jewish-focused grantmaking foundation supporting cultural and intellectual programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheGenesisPrize
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheGenesisPrize
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/genesis-prize-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Genesis Prize