Vision, an unseen driving force for progress, is essential to making progress in any field. The Oxford Dictionary describes 'vision' as the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom, but on a deeper level, vision is the foundation of purpose, ambition, and innovation. No one embodies these traits more than Uri Poliavich, CEO, founder, and philanthropist. Poliavich grew up in Soviet Ukraine, remembering the feeling of being hungry as a child. However, this hunger was accompanied by something deeper; a drive to change his life trajectory.
Propelled by this determination, Uri managed to do just that. Subverting expectations and moving away from his career as a lawyer, Poliavich became a business development manager and faced a pivotal decision: use his savings to start his own life or invest in his dream and start his own company. Upon returning to Europe, he had the funds to change his life even more and funded his own business. His company set up an investment fund, which provides financial and business support to entrepreneurs with the same drive for innovation and growth, reflecting the hunger that drove Uri's professional progression in his business ventures. The fund crosses the corporate spectrum, welcoming growth-stage and mature companies. It emphasizes innovative approaches, implemented in a way that drives learning. Positioned at the intersection of various niches, such as technology and fintech, it bridges diverse industries.
From this new position and with the resources now available to him as a CEO and founder, Uri is now able to expand his sense of vision or hunger to drive progress beyond himself. Uri is always pushing his business to do better, not just promoting innovation but integrating it deeply into his company's culture and motivating the teams around him.
A foundation for progress
Over the years, Uri's hunger for progress has continued to expand and be channeled into his work with the Yael Foundation. In 2020, Uri and his wife, Yael Poliavich, founded the Yael Foundation. Uri states that from the first moment the business broke even, the idea was to create something that would allow other kids to have the feeling of being part of the Jewish community, summarising his vision for the Jewish community.
The Yael Foundation supports 100 educational projects across 37 countries, impacting roughly 13,500 children, providing high-quality educational opportunities for young Jewish students, and nurturing their exceptional academic abilities. Additionally, the foundation hosts the Yael Camp event every summer, bringing together Jewish children aged 11-15 from a diverse selection of European countries. This camp fosters connections between these groups to strengthen their sense of Jewish identity and community.
A vision for the future
Effective leaders are driven by their vision and passion to do more and be more. Uri's unique drive is a prime example. His philosophy for the future can best be summed up in his own words: "Most people think that business drives charity initiatives, but for me, charity drives business pushing it forward." With this in mind, Uri's continued success with his business is motivated by his desire to continue progressing his vision of the global Jewish community as one family bound by shared values and a commitment to mutual support.
To find out more about the Yael Foundation, click here.
This post was created by the Yael Foundation with Insider Studios.