ABOUT

Founders & Mission

Sapienship was co-founded by Yuval Noah Harari and Itzik Yahav in 2019.

Our mission is to clarify the global conversation, focus attention on the most important challenges, and support the quest for solutions.

the challenges we focus on

Green eye image

Technological Disruption

Who will take responsibility for the impact of AI, infotech and
bio-engineering?

Sapienship wants to join forces with you to:

  • Highlight all the possible consequences of technological advancement

  • Raise awareness of the need to manage, regulate and control our data in a way that serves the greater good

  • Explore possible models for taking responsibility for the impact of AI and bio-engineering

Ecological Collapse

WHEN WILL GLOBAL LEADERS TAKE THE ACTIONS THAT ARE SO URGENTLY NEEDED IN ORDER TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT?

Sapienship wants to join forces with you to:

  • Highlight the possible consequences of ecological degradation

  • Raise awareness of the urgent need to take top-down action at the highest levels, to limit climate change and ecological damage

  • Explore ways of prompting political leaders and industry to take responsibility for our living environment

Fire in the forest iamage
Explosion on mountain image

Global War

How can we stop the arms race and place controls on the proliferation and deployment of weapons OF MASS DESTRUCTION?

Sapienship wants to join forces with you to:

  • Highlight the extent of the destruction that a global war would trigger

  • Raise awareness of the need to avert a global arms race

  • Explore ways of influencing those responsible for the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction

OUR values

Care about suffering

Problems are never abstract. All problems are ultimately about particular beings suffering. Therefore when dealing with global problems we should not get entangled in mere abstractions, but should instead keep in touch with real experiences.

slow down

Many of the world’s problems – from ecological degradation to individual stress – result from the accelerating pace of life. The search for solutions should not involve further acceleration.

Learn to distinguish reality from illusion

If we cannot see reality clearly, we are likely to come up with bad solutions, or waste our energy on the wrong problems.

Enable everyone to take part in the conversation

All people in all countries should take part in the conversation about humanity’s global problems, and the search for solutions should take into account diverse viewpoints and interests.

Keep your eyes on the ball

Focus on the main global problems facing humanity.

Stay open to criticism

Nobody is free from ignorance, bias and error. It is therefore important to examine criticism carefully instead of rushing to dismiss it.

our team

Itzik Yahav
President

Itzik is the co-founder and head of YNH’s global initiatives. He was the initial agent and personal manager who spread the books worldwide, and has been Yuval’s spouse since 2001. His background is in art and production.

Cares about: The environment; animal welfare; managing disruptive technology.

Wonders: What should we teach our children to prepare them for the future?

Itzik Yahav
Itzik Yahav
President

Itzik is the co-founder and head of YNH’s global initiatives. He was the initial agent and personal manager who spread the books worldwide, and has been Yuval’s spouse since 2001. His background is in art and production.

Cares about: The environment; animal welfare; managing disruptive technology.

Wonders: What should we teach our children to prepare them for the future?

Naama Avital
CEO

Naama comes from a background of management in social and business enterprises, focusing on innovation and educational technology.

Cares about: Human liberties; nature; spreading knowledge.

Wonders: What will future historians write about us?


Naama Avital
Naama Avital
CEO

Naama comes from a background of management in social and business enterprises, focusing on innovation and educational technology.

Cares about: Human liberties; nature; spreading knowledge.

Wonders: What will future historians write about us?


Naama Wartenburg
CMO & Director of Content

Naama’s background is in comms, marketing and brand reputation management within the third sector and PR industry. She studied literature and visual communication, and spent most of her working life in the UK.

Cares about: New urbanism; community development; art and design.

Wonders: What would a world without private cars look like?


Naama Wartenburg
Naama Wartenburg
CMO & Director of Content

Naama’s background is in comms, marketing and brand reputation management within the third sector and PR industry. She studied literature and visual communication, and spent most of her working life in the UK.

Cares about: New urbanism; community development; art and design.

Wonders: What would a world without private cars look like?


Shay Abel
CFO

Shay is a CPA and lawyer. Prior to joining the team he served as the CFO of a publicly traded company, focused on real estate investment.

Cares about: Polarization of society; the focus of public discourse.

Wonders: How can we recognize fake news and prevent its blind acceptance?


Shay Abel
Shay Abel
CFO

Shay is a CPA and lawyer. Prior to joining the team he served as the CFO of a publicly traded company, focused on real estate investment.

Cares about: Polarization of society; the focus of public discourse.

Wonders: How can we recognize fake news and prevent its blind acceptance?


Michael Zur
Head of Global Reach 

Michael comes from a background of management and operations in international sporting events, both in Israel and around the world.

Cares about: Climate change; social justice; governmental transparency.

Wonders: Why are women paid less than men for the same work?


Michael Zur
Michael Zur
Head of Global Reach 

Michael comes from a background of management and operations in international sporting events, both in Israel and around the world.

Cares about: Climate change; social justice; governmental transparency.

Wonders: Why are women paid less than men for the same work?


Daniel Taylor
Head of Rights 

Daniel has a professional background in law and business development.

Cares about: Environmental degradation; creeping totalitarianism; technological dystopia.

Wonders: Is this freedom?


Daniel Taylor
Daniel Taylor
Head of Rights 

Daniel has a professional background in law and business development.

Cares about: Environmental degradation; creeping totalitarianism; technological dystopia.

Wonders: Is this freedom?


Jason Rhys Parry
Senior Content R&D

Jason is an academic with a PhD in comparative literature. Before joining Sapienship, he taught at universities in the USA. He has published essays in multiple fields, including philosophy, architectural theory, and ecology.

Cares about: The future of design; biodiversity; the politics of AI.

Wonders: How can we ensure prosperity for everyone while respecting planetary boundaries?


Jason Rhys Parry
Jason Rhys Parry
Senior Content R&D

Jason is an academic with a PhD in comparative literature. Before joining Sapienship, he taught at universities in the USA. He has published essays in multiple fields, including philosophy, architectural theory, and ecology.

Cares about: The future of design; biodiversity; the politics of AI.

Wonders: How can we ensure prosperity for everyone while respecting planetary boundaries?


Guangyu Bellenssa Chen
Director of Chinese Speaking Markets

Guangyu (Bellenssa) comes from a background of performing arts, intercultural communication, and marketing. She is a children’s book writer and translator, as well as a children’s theater curator.

Cares about: The land mine crisis; women’s equal rights

Wonders: Are we creating a better world for our children?


Guangyu Bellenssa Chen
Guangyu Bellenssa Chen
Director of Chinese Speaking Markets

Guangyu (Bellenssa) comes from a background of performing arts, intercultural communication, and marketing. She is a children’s book writer and translator, as well as a children’s theater curator.

Cares about: The land mine crisis; women’s equal rights

Wonders: Are we creating a better world for our children?


Nadav Neuman
Head of Education & Content Lead for Sapienship Lab

Nadav comes from a background in media and journalism, and the history and philosophy of ideas. He is a poet and writer, focusing on the different aspects of spirituality.

Cares about: Spreading strange and thought-provoking ideas; animal welfare; cognitive liberty; arts and literature

Wonders: How can we shift the global focus from the gaining of wealth and power to reducing suffering?


Nadav Neuman
Nadav Neuman
Head of Education & Content Lead for Sapienship Lab

Nadav comes from a background in media and journalism, and the history and philosophy of ideas. He is a poet and writer, focusing on the different aspects of spirituality.

Cares about: Spreading strange and thought-provoking ideas; animal welfare; cognitive liberty; arts and literature

Wonders: How can we shift the global focus from the gaining of wealth and power to reducing suffering?


Ariel Retik
Editorial Project Lead & Content Developer

Ariel has a background working in public engagement with science and research, publishing, and international academic collaboration. He studied biology, and the history and philosophy of science.

Cares about: My dog; nature; rising extremism; digital surveillance.

Wonders: What will future humans think is weird about our society?

Ariel Retik
Ariel Retik
Editorial Project Lead & Content Developer

Ariel has a background working in public engagement with science and research, publishing, and international academic collaboration. He studied biology, and the history and philosophy of science.

Cares about: My dog; nature; rising extremism; digital surveillance.

Wonders: What will future humans think is weird about our society?

Hanna Shapiro
Head of Design

Hanna studied design in Paris, and has been creating visual worlds for the past decade. In her work she likes to focus on storytelling, typography and interesting combinations.

Cares about: People; the rise of extremism; earth-friendly glitter.

Wonders: To what degree can visualisation replace text?

Hanna Shapiro
Hanna Shapiro
Head of Design

Hanna studied design in Paris, and has been creating visual worlds for the past decade. In her work she likes to focus on storytelling, typography and interesting combinations.

Cares about: People; the rise of extremism; earth-friendly glitter.

Wonders: To what degree can visualisation replace text?

Jim Clarke
Content R&D

Jim is a former national newspaper journalist with a PhD in English literature from Trinity College Dublin, who has worked as an academic in Britain, Ireland, Belarus and Turkey. He is the author of a crime thriller, and three academic monographs, primarily about dystopia and religion.

Cares about: The challenge of infinite growth on a finite planet; educating young people to be resilient enough to deal with constant change; how to demilitarise and prevent wars.

Wonders: Has the future already happened?


Jim Clarke
Jim Clarke
Content R&D

Jim is a former national newspaper journalist with a PhD in English literature from Trinity College Dublin, who has worked as an academic in Britain, Ireland, Belarus and Turkey. He is the author of a crime thriller, and three academic monographs, primarily about dystopia and religion.

Cares about: The challenge of infinite growth on a finite planet; educating young people to be resilient enough to deal with constant change; how to demilitarise and prevent wars.

Wonders: Has the future already happened?


Zichan Wang
Research Assistant

Zichan comes from a background of archaeology and art history, and is currently a PhD candidate at UCLA. Her interests include human-environment interactions, resilience, societal collapse and transformation, as well as archaeological science.

Cares about: Resilient societies, cultural diversity, and decolonization in arts and humanities.

Wonders: Where does history converge with the future?


Zichan Wang
Zichan Wang
Research Assistant

Zichan comes from a background of archaeology and art history, and is currently a PhD candidate at UCLA. Her interests include human-environment interactions, resilience, societal collapse and transformation, as well as archaeological science.

Cares about: Resilient societies, cultural diversity, and decolonization in arts and humanities.

Wonders: Where does history converge with the future?


Tristan Murff
Online Content Officer

Tristan is a multidisciplinary designer and digital storyteller with an international background and focus. Creating 'good work' is his guiding principle.

Cares about: Communication and design; climate change; community; storytelling.

Wonders: How can we live a fulfilling life that minimizes environmental impact and maximizes community?


Tristan Murff
Tristan Murff
Online Content Officer

Tristan is a multidisciplinary designer and digital storyteller with an international background and focus. Creating 'good work' is his guiding principle.

Cares about: Communication and design; climate change; community; storytelling.

Wonders: How can we live a fulfilling life that minimizes environmental impact and maximizes community?


Galiete Katzir
Operations Officer

Galiete has a background in office management and customer care, as well as knowledge of alternative medicine. 

Cares about: Helping children develop in the best way possible; animal welfare; making people feel better about themselves.

Wonders: How can we bring down people’s natural anger levels?


Galiete Katzir
Galiete Katzir
Operations Officer

Galiete has a background in office management and customer care, as well as knowledge of alternative medicine. 

Cares about: Helping children develop in the best way possible; animal welfare; making people feel better about themselves.

Wonders: How can we bring down people’s natural anger levels?


JOIN US!

Sapienship is hiring!
We're looking for talented people to join our growing team.

Please click below for details, and apply via the email address provided in the role description.

We don't have any job vacancies at the moment. Check back here for regular updates.