Alumni Stories

Philipp Pfeffer, Partner at Keepod
 Class of 2014 >> 

​After working at a newly established German consultancy called Meibom & Brecht, being part of the team to establish their business activities, and learning about the importance of a grounded brand, I returned to Israel with a burning desire to learn more about branding and its importance for all stakeholders. There was much that I wanted and needed to learn and understand. Therefore, I decided to take the next step in my career and pursue a MBA.

After thorough research of the different options available in Israel and elsewhere, I decided to attend the Sofaer iMBA program for several reasons, chief among them its international orientation. I was  drawn to the idea of studying with students from all over the world, and learning from professors from the most prestigious universities who are experts in their fields. The year-long program would not only provide me with the tools and knowledge that I was looking for, but it also offered a very practical experience; in the program, I learned valuable prioritization skills, as well as how to work under pressure in an intercultural environment.

One of the most notable and memorable aspects of my experience at Sofaer was the team, and its dedication to the students’ success. During the second half of the year, students were encouraged to participate in an internship program. Thanks to the career team’s persistence and dedication, I landed an internship at a small startup called Keepod. Operating from Milano, the Keepod founders were looking to scale their activities to an international level.

This opportunity allowed me to translate the approach, which I had learned at Meibom & Brecht and later developed further during my studies, into action. The approach was to put the company’s vision as the cornerstone of the company, serving as a clear and unified promise to all of the company’s stakeholders.

The vision we developed is “Keepod envisions a world where all people can access personal computing according to their needs and dreams, providing them with tools that will enable them to independently create better futures for themselves and their community”. Every step that followed every strategy, technological development, and action, has been in line with this vision.

Today - three years later - this vision still guides us in all that we are doing. We have sold products in over 80 countries, providing hundreds with their first ever access to personal computing. We have secured partnerships in various fields and numerous countries. As our start-up has continued to grow and develop, I often think back to my time at Sofaer, and I continue to use the tools and lessons that I gained there.

I am grateful to the Sofaer iMBA for giving me the knowledge, tools, and experiences that have contributed to my professional success thus far. Further, I am no less thankful for the friends that I made during the program. Some of my best friends today were my peers during the program. In all, the Sofaer iMBA experience has been a very important part of my life.