Breezy: The 2026 Cross Vertical Winners

By Yorai Kleiman, 2nd Year Entrepreneurship (Honors) Student

When the winners of the Cross Vertical Competition at the Adelson School of Entrepreneurship were announced last Thursday, it felt like more than just a validation of our hard work. It was the moment Breezy, our electronic cannabis device designed to redefine the rolling experience, officially stepped beyond its initial concept phase and matured into a venture ready for the high stakes startup world. While the seed of Breezy existed before the semester, the Cross Vertical course provided the rigorous environment we needed to turn our vision into a market ready mission.

The Cross Vertical course is a unique milestone in our degree because it reflects the true nature of entrepreneurship: the freedom to choose your own path. Unlike the mandatory curriculum, this course allowed us to dive deep into an industry we are truly passionate about. But that freedom came with a significant challenge. We found ourselves in a "battle of the tracks," a high pressure ecosystem where we had to stand our ground against ten impressive ventures from "heavy" industries like Cyber security and Real Estate.

What truly sets this course apart, however, is the caliber of the faculty. Having experts in the field who treat you as a peer is transformative. Our professor, Omer Zeharia, and our TA, Jonathan Zilbermintz, didn’t treat us as students completing a syllabus, they treated us as founders. Their mentorship was hands-on and uncompromising. By pushing us to pivot when necessary and constantly challenging our fundamental assumptions, they ensured we weren't just prepared for a final presentation, but for the actual demands of the market.

That relentless commitment to the vision is what ultimately brought my amazing teammates, Tal Horowitz Horine and Neve Yair, to the finish line. Winning first place was the ultimate confirmation that we are ready for the next level. The feedback we received from the judging panel, Yael Eckstein, Nir Gartzman, and Michael Finkel, has already become our strategic roadmap, providing insights into scaling that will guide Breezy long after the semester ends.

I want to extend a huge thank you to the Adelson School of Entrepreneurship and Reichman University for providing this incredible platform. We came in with a prototype and a vision; we are leaving with a mission.

Breezy is just getting started. Because Breezy is the change.