Connecting






Konnect is the Innovation Hub of the Volkswagen Group in Israel, founded in 2018 and based in Tel Aviv – the heart of the Startup Nation.
Konnect’s mission is to spearhead the discovery, evaluation, and integration of Israeli pioneering technologies in the Volkswagen Group vehicles and factories.
Konnect activities support the Volkswagen Groups mission: “Shaping Mobility for Generations to come.”
OUR FOCUS TOPICS

Sustainability
Electrification, Sustainable Materials, Circular Economy, Carbon Economy

Mobility
Autonomous Driving, Mobility Services (MaaS/TaaS), Safety, Robotics

AI/Digitalization
Driving Experience, In-cabin Sensors, Digital User Interface
Local Testing and Evaluation Led by Konnect
Konnect-led projects that evolved into business implementation
Our Team

She has over 12 years of experience in senior managerial, strategic, and business development roles in the private and government sectors.
In her previous roles, Hemdat headed the Israeli branch of HY- the Axel Springer ecosystem firm, consulting German companies on digitalization and transformation projects and later on worked as an advisor to Volkswagen Group and Audi AG in Israel.
Between 2012 and 2016, Hemdat served as a Commercial Attaché and Head of the Economic Department in the Israeli Embassy in Berlin, promoting German-Israeli economic, business, and innovation ties.
Hemdat is a lawyer by training and has a postgraduate diploma in Advanced Management from ESMT Business School in Berlin.

Supporting the Managing Director in the company’s operational and strategic activities, and responsible for the overall planning, monitoring, and execution of the technical projects, PoCs, and the Konnect test-vehicle lab.
Prior to joining Konnect, Maayan served as an officer in an elite unit at the Israeli Air-force for 12 years, leading complex operations, technical projects, aerial planning, and management in various units.
Maayan holds an MBA in Innovation & Entrepreneurship from the Reichman University.

Benny brings over 20 years of experience in the tech industry, covering the automotive, semiconductor, and defense sectors. In his previous role, Benny was a product manager at Innoviz, a direct LiDAR supplier of our Groups' software brand, Cariad.
Benny holds an M.E. in Systems Engineering from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Tel Aviv University.

Born and raised in Germany, David moved to Israel after his degree in International Business and gained professional experience in e-commerce and automotive Startups. David is especially passionate about connecting German corporates to the thriving Israeli startup ecosystem.
David holds a B.Sc. in International Business from Maastricht University.

Leveraging her experience as a Senior Innovation and Tech Strategy Manager at OPPO, Noa brings her knowledge of Open Innovation and passion for consumer technology to her current role at Konnect. In addition, her diverse experience across corporations, startups, investors, and government agencies has equipped her with a strong foundation in the fast-paced tech landscape to drive impactful Climate Tech projects with startups.
Noa holds an MBA from Tel Aviv University, Israel, and a B.A. from Peking University, China. As a Native Chinese, she is fluent in Mandarin, English, and Hebrew.

With 15 years of administrative experience in both large corporations and small Fintech companies, she has vast expertise in administration, employee welfare, talent acquisition, event planning, marketing & financial operations.
Additionally, Daria adeptly manages relationships with suppliers and clients, ensuring a smooth financial operation.
Her main role is to make things happen and provide 360-degree support to all team members of Konnect.
Daria holds a BA in Political Science and Government from The Academic College of Tel-Aviv, Yaffo, Israel.

Angie moved to Israel from Germany 35 years ago and became a “Kibutznik” for 12 years.
With more than 15 years of experience working as the Israeli representative for the Regional Sourcing Office of the Volkswagen Group, Angie holds extensive knowledge of the Israeli OEM supplier market.
Angelika holds a Business Administration and Management degree from the IHK Business School in Munich.
Our Advisory Leadership

From 2018 to 2021, Stephanie served as the first Managing Director and a founding member of Konnect, Volkswagen Group’s innovation hub in Israel. During this time, she contributed to establishing the Group’s first fully owned entity in the country, establishing a strong presence in one of the world’s leading tech ecosystems.
With over 15 years at the Volkswagen Group and more than 6 years in senior management roles, Stephanie was involved in shaping the foundation of Leitmotif, the Group’s independent venture capital fund. In previous roles she led projects focused on the Group's digital transformation, particularly in digital marketing and innovation.
Her professional experience spans different areas of the Group, including Group Marketing Communication and Group Procurement, and she has worked closely with multiple brands to help foster a collaborative innovation culture.
She holds a Master’s degree in Business from the University of Osnabrück. She is a German citizen with a global outlook, Stephanie has lived and worked in the United States, Japan, and Israel, bringing a unique international perspective to her work.

With a diverse background from venture capital, M&A, strategy and finance, Jessica has led strategic JVs, partnerships, M&A —both Greenfield and acquisitions—across EU, Asia, Middle East and Africa. She has spent over a decade abroad in different continents. Her sharp focus on execution, operations and strategy has guided complex deals and high-impact collaborations, including securing the TRATON–Hino (part of Toyota Group) strategic alliance.
Jessica has served as CFO for Scania Financial Services in the Asia-Pacific region and held board positions at Scania Invest, Scania Growth Capital, and Scania Financial Services. Her experience spans senior roles at TRATON as well as Scania Group, driving the shift to a sustainable transport system.
Our Global Innovation Network


For more information visit the Volkswagen Group website here