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SmartUp Academy

SmartUp Academy is an school for entrepreneurs. Our goal is to help founders build successful, profitable companies with a clear methodology and practical tools. Founded by serial entrepreneur Yonatan Stern, SmartUp supports entrepreneurs through courses, workshops, and hands-on guidance based on more than three decades of real company-building experience.

*Admission is subject to review

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SmartUp Foundations Course

The Foundations course is Phase 1 of our program.
Six sessions designed to provide entrepreneurs with the essential tools to build successful companies.

This course is taught by Yonatan Stern.
October 11, 2026
Sundays, 14:30 - 17:00
HaPnina St. 2, 1st floor, Ra'anana
Learn more and apply
  • Smartup October Course

    SmartUp New Course

    The FREE SmartUp Foundations Course begins on October 11, 2026.

    The course includes 6 sessions, held once a week on Sundays from 14:30-17:00, covering striving for profitability, branding first, lean business models, pricing, Jobs to Be Done, growth engines, enablers and innovation, and sales.

    The course is in-person and will take place at our offices in Ra’anana.
    Read more
  • Screenshot 2025-12-11 at 13.26.53

    Welcome Qwan

    A warm welcome to Qwan and its founders, Shmulik Boaz and Roy Shonshol, as they join our residency program.
    A great journey lies ahead! We are excited to be a part of it!
    Read more
  • ratingQ_news

    Welcome RatingIQ

    Welcome Omri Azulay and RatingIQ to our residency program.
    RatingIQ helps hotel chains turn guest reviews into revenue - identifying the patterns behind guest experience, the strengths worth scaling, and the issues that need clear ownership, prioritization, and action, so teams can act quickly and improve performance.
    From Reviews to Revenue is not just the tagline. It is the job.
    We’re excited to welcome Omri as he builds a rating-performance system that not only explains what guests are saying but also helps hotels turn it into measurable performance.
    Read more
  • puro systems news

    Welcome PURO Systems Ltd

    A warm welcome to Omri Farbstein and PURO Systems Ltd to our residency program.
    PURO is building smart purification solutions that combine technology, reliability, and real-world operational value.
    We’re excited to support Omri as he develops a cleaner and smarter approach to purification.
    Read more

The SmartUp Process

Foundations Course

Learn the SmartUp Methodology

An in-person program teaching the core principles of building profitable, thriving companies.

Companies Workshop

Refine your strategy

Work directly with Yonatan and the SmartUp team to sharpen your strategy, strengthen your business model, and build a strong, thriving company.

Residency

Grow your business with expert guidance

Founders work closely with the SmartUp team to refine their growth strategy, receive ongoing mentorship, and prepare their company for expansion and investment.

SmartUp Academy Companies

"Building a successful company is a career that requires mastery, just like any other profession. Learning how to do the job is the first step, but true mastery comes from years of practice and experience."
Yonatan Stern
Founder and Teacher
Our programs encourage founders to think differently about every part of building a company, from product development and marketing to sales and operations.

  • Stage 1 - Foundations Course

    Learn the principles and steps to building and running a successful company on a modest investment. This course will change the way you think about building a company and help you avoid big mistakes.

    Open to entrepreneurs at all stages.
    Read More

  • Stage 2 - Companies Workshop

    Lead focused discussions with other company executives on implementing SmartUp principles. Learn from real-world situations and receive guidance in dealing with your ongoing challenges.

    Designed for executives in established companies.
    Read More

  • Stage 3 - Residency Program

    Join us to grow your company, or learn by joining one of our resident companies.

    Open to entrepreneurs at all stages.
    Read More

  • Angels Roundtable

    Connecting investors with founders studying the SmartUp Methodology. Investors can pick startups they're interested in and meet them at SmartUp's offices before the Foundations Course lectures.

    For investors only.
    Read More

What sets SmartUp apart?

We challenge conventional wisdom to achieve extraordinary results.

Should you target a $5 billion market?

No.

Venture capitalists need to recoup their investment within a few years, so they push you to target huge markets and grow as quickly as possible.

If your goal is profitability, you’re better off targeting a narrower, more focused market that you can reach with precise, compelling messaging and lower your acquisition cost in the process. You can be profitable with sales in the $3-5 million range, which requires a market size of $100 million or less. That doesn’t mean you stop there. Dominating a small market is often a gateway to many other related markets.

Will being first help you dominate the market?

No.

There are countless examples of products that were first to market but never made it, only to be overtaken by imitators.

A great product that no one understands, or no one wants to hear about, simply won’t sell. Being first comes with its own burden. You have to create the market and educate your audience entirely on your own.

If you’re going to be first to market, make sure you already have the market’s attention. The most effective and cost-effective way to do this is by building a strong brand, which takes time and should be a priority from day one.

Do you need groundbreaking technology?

No.

Following the same logic as being first to market, the most common mistake entrepreneurs make is believing that their product is so amazing that it will sell itself. If no one knows about your product, no one will buy it. It’s your job to set the stage in advance. The cheapest and most effective way to do this is by building a strong brand.

Does growing fast help you dominate the market?

No.

No matter how fast you grow, if no one wants to buy your product, you won’t master anything.

Rapid growth early on is actually a burden. It drains your resources and distracts you from the most important task of any company, which is finding a repeatable process for acquiring paying customers.
""The skill set that I was missing I found with Yonatan's mentorship""
Ziv Segal
CEO & Co-Founder
WATCH VIDEO
"He is really thinking completely differently about marketing"
Eyal Wultz
President & Co-Founder
WATCH VIDEO
""Yonatan has interesting solutions to the company's issues""
Ashi Horovitz
CEO & Co-Founder
WATCH VIDEO
""You build your company, from marketing through core business""
Ori Shafir
CMO & Co-Founder
WATCH VIDEO
""The greatest value of working with Yonatan is his wide thinking and vision that makes our company focus on the important things""
Eli Baratz
CTO and Co-Founder
WATCH VIDEO
""As a founder, you realize you don't need a lot of money, you don't need a big team or fancy offices, you just need to focus on your clients""
Ofir Cohen
CEO & Co-Founder
WATCH VIDEO
"הגענו אל יונתן לפני מספר חודשים תוך כדי פיתוח המוצר הראשון שלנו ומכירות ראשוניות בשוק של חברות קטנות ובינוניות. יונתן הסביר לנו שחברות פחות רגישות למחיר אך מאוד רגישות לסיכונים ותוצאות. כתוצאה מכך העלינו את המחיר וארזנו את המוצר עם חבילת תמיכה ויעוץ שנתנה ערך גבוה ללקוח. להפתעתנו, חבילת התמיכה והיעוץ הובילה לעסקות דווקא עם החברות המובילות במשק"
רועי אבירם
מנכ"ל ומייסד
"המודל העיסקי שלנו היה מכירה של כלי פיתוח אינטרנטיים במחיר של כמה מאות דולרים לשנה. יונתן הראה שלקוח ממוצע לא באמת מסוגל להשתמש בכלים שפיתחנו. לעומת זאת אם נפתח עבורו פתרון מלא ועובד הוא מוכן לשלם אלפי דולרים. שינוי זה העלה את סוגומטיק על מסלול גידול מהיר ורווחי"
סיוון טייטלבאום
מנכ"ל ומייסד
sogomatic logo
""Before taking this course, we were so focused on the product that we hadn't truly thought about how to attract customers. The emphasis on building a long tail website and understanding SEO from the outset was a game-changer. It gave us a clear, actionable first step to start building our brand and having prospects come to us, even before our product was fully developed. A truly invaluable insight!""
Hanoch Paz
Co-Founder Chef.I
""Before taking this course, we were so focused on the product that we hadn't truly thought about how to attract customers. The emphasis on building a long tail website and understanding SEO from the outset was a game-changer. It gave us a clear, actionable first step to start building our brand and having prospects come to us, even before our product was fully developed. A truly invaluable insight!""
Gilad Newman
CEO Dale Carnegie Israel
ayala torgeman
""I will teach you what they don’t teach in business school: how to build a cash flow report, how to look at your revenues and expenses, how to create a Bookings report. Knowledge that isn’t taught anywhere else and things you absolutely must know in order to operate successfully as a CEO.""
Ayala Turgeman
CFO & Co-Founder
Smartup Academy
Libby Molad
""I will show you how to navigate the tough decisions every founder faces - clarifying priorities, avoiding distractions, and focusing on what truly drives growth.”"
Libby Molad
COO & Co-Founder
Smartup Academy
Yonatan Stern
""I designed the Foundations Course to teach how to build profitable, fast-growing companies with modest investment—distilling decades of experience into practical lessons.""
Yonatan Stern
CEO & Founder
Smartup Academy
""As the founder of Iridize, I’ll share what I learned from not being able to raise money—and how that experience led me to success now.""
Eyal Lewinsohn
Mentor
oracle
Danny Albocher
Danny Albocher
Founder & CEO of "IOTier"
Pickey WATCH VIDEO
omri azulay
Omri Azulay
Founder & CEO of "UpStar"
upstar WATCH VIDEO
Omri Farbstein
Founder & CEO of "puRO"
WATCH VIDEO
Yonatan Stern
"I designed the Foundations Course to teach how to build profitable, fast-growing companies with modest investment—distilling decades of experience into practical lessons."
Yonatan Stern
Founder & inventor of the Smartup Methodology
Smartup Academy
Libby Molad
""I will show you how to navigate the tough decisions every founder faces - clarifying priorities, avoiding distractions, and focusing on what truly drives growth.”"
Libby Molad
Course Operator
Smartup Academy

FAQs

What is SmartUp Academy?

SmartUp Academy is a school for entrepreneurs. We teach the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to build fast-growing, successful, and profitable companies through courses, workshops, and a residency program.

Who is SmartUp Academy meant for?

SmartUp Academy welcomes:
- Founders who are working full-time on their idea
- Potential entrepreneurs who are currently employed elsewhere
- Existing companies without venture capital funding
- Curious individuals who want to learn the SmartUp method
- Investors interested in backing companies that follow the SmartUp model

Can I apply if I don't have a company or idea yet?

Yes. Whether you're still working a full-time job, have business or tech experience, have an idea but don’t know where to start, or don’t have an idea at all, there’s a place for you here. Visit our Foundations Course page to see if it's the right fit for you.

Want To Learn More?