Israel’s tech ecosystem is the backbone of our economy, and at Startup Nation Central we are dedicated to propelling the innovation landscape. 

Our mission is simple but powerful: to support Israeli startups as they transform innovative ideas into global success stories. 

On October 7, this mission became even more urgent, pushing us to reconsider our offerings and products. 

We launched the Startup Nation Central Hub in the face of immediate and critical pain points. As our primary platform for startups to voice their challenges and concerns at the outset of the conflict, this hub became a comprehensive resource center, providing startups with connections to funding and professional support.  

A critical step in this journey was partnering with key ecosystem players to deliver real value. These partnerships were vital, deploying stakeholders who contributed meaningfully to the support of struggling startups. 

Leveraging WARTIME CEO’s Strengths  

To amplify the impact of the Central Hub, we partnered with WARTIME CEO, leveraging their extensive experience and robust investor network to further support startups, while also bringing invaluable insights to address the key challenges faced by companies. 

I vividly recall our initial discussions with Dr. Yael Gruenbaum and Dr. Gal Noyman; their enthusiasm for supporting startups was infectious, and it was clear that this partnership would be immensely valuable.  At the time, I recall that Dr. Yael Gruenbaum, Partner at aMoon and Cofounder of WARTIME CEO, also saw the synergy and value of our shared commitment: “Israel has a vibrant, successful startup culture that we are proud to be a part of. We believe that this collaboration will further advance this ecosystem by best support practices to the WARTIME CEOs.”  

The collaboration fostered a unique community where VCs worked together to support the ecosystem, providing startups with expertise and opportunities to build resilience and grow, even in the toughest circumstances.  

My friend Dr. Gal Noyman, Partner at LionBird and Cofounder of WARTIME CEO, captured this sentiment perfectly: “Entrepreneurship is a roller coaster ride with highs and lows, and sometimes founders just need an objective sounding board. The solidarity that is the foundation of the Israeli spirit lies at the core of this collaboration between investors, mentors, and founders, and we’re excited to see all our partners continue supporting our startup nation.”  

The ‘Startup First’ Initiative 

Building on the insights and experiences from Central Hub and WARTIME CEO, we launched the ‘Startup First’ initiative. This initiative provides continuous and holistic support for startups with three main pillars: 

1. Knowledge Sharing: We offer access to valuable insights, trends, and best practices through workshops, seminars, and online resources, helping startups make informed strategic decisions and stay competitive. 

2. Business Connections: We create networking opportunities with industry leaders, potential clients, and other startups, fostering collaboration and growth through partnerships and joint ventures. 

3. Funding Opportunities: We connect startups with various funding sources, including grants, investments, and other financial support, ensuring they have the resources needed to scale. 

Through these pillars, we equip Israeli startups to overcome challenges and seize opportunities so they can reach their full potential and make a significant impact on the global stage. 

Grant Matching Event  

As part of the Funding Opportunities pillar, we recently partnered with the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) to conduct a ‘Grant Matching Event’. This event was designed to help startups that have secured grants from the IIA and need matching investments.  

Dozens of startups received unique exposure and had 1:1 meetings with 30 angels and early-stage investors. Over 50 meetings were conducted, helping startups bridge the funding gap and leverage the initial support they received. 

The Grant Matching Event exemplifies how our initiatives make a tangible difference. By bringing together startups and investors in a focused setting, we facilitate meaningful connections that can lead to substantial investments and business growth. These events also provide startups with valuable feedback from investors, helping them refine their business models and strategies.  

Through Grant Matching, startups can secure the funding they need to turn their innovative ideas into successful businesses. This event is just the beginning of many opportunities we are creating for startups. 

Our Vision and Commitment 

Our commitment to Israeli startups’ success is unwavering. By engaging key players in the local innovation ecosystem along with our global partners, we provide significant value to startups in their growth journey. Our vision is to create an environment where startups can thrive, innovate, and become global leaders. 

We are excited about the role that Startup Nation Central will play in shaping the next generation of Israeli startups. We encourage startups to take full advantage of the resources we offer and actively participate in our programs. By doing so, they can benefit from the collective knowledge, experience, and networks that Startup Nation Central and our partners provide. 

Join Us

Visit our website regularly to stay ahead of the curve, update your Finder profile, and become part of our thriving innovation ecosystem today. Together, we can shape the future of innovation in Israel and beyond.

_{As Chief Product Officer, Noga creates customized and scalable solutions for Startup Nation Central’s clients helping them to effectively address their main challenges. She brings experience from both the public and private sectors, and a background in strategy, finance, product, innovation, and business development leadership.}

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Alon Turkaspa is the agrifood tech and climate tech sector lead at Startup Nation Central, where he connects Israeli startups with global partners to address shared challenges and enhance Israel’s tech impact on global solutions.

The Israeli agrifood tech industry has firmly established itself as a global leader in innovation and entrepreneurship, ranking second only to the United States. Alternative dairy technology is a growing subsector of agrifood tech that addresses issues associated with traditional dairy production, including environmental impact, animal welfare, and health concerns.

Technologies in the alternative dairy space offer substantial benefits. These innovations replicate traditional dairy protein without the need to produce actual milk. They have the same taste and nutritional profile while reducing resource use and greenhouse gas emissions.

By providing sustainable, ethical and potentially healthier alternatives, this technology is poised to transform the dairy industry, offering consumers choices that align more closely with modern values and ecological necessities.

Israel is leading this sector due to the synergistic relationship between academia and industry. Universities and research institutes across the country contribute cutting-edge research in food engineering to biotechnology, seamlessly integrating with robust Israeli agricultural practices and entrepreneurial ventures. This has led to a thriving community of more than 700 companies, each dedicated to revolutionizing the agrifood landscape.

As Shavuot—a holiday that carries with it a tradition of eating dairy foods—approaches, here are some Israeli tech companies “moooo-ving” the dairy industry into the future:

Remilk produces dairy products in a way that is healthy and clean, without cholesterol, lactose, hormones and antibiotics. Their method yields products that taste identical to conventional dairy, use significantly fewer resources and are 100% cruelty-free.

Imagindairy creates animal-free dairy products using fermentation. They combine a passion for dairy, concern for the planet and scientific expertise to produce dairy proteins that mimic the flavor, functionality, experience, mouthfeel and nutrition of traditional dairy. Their products are lactose-free, growth hormone-free and cholesterol-free.

PlantIfoods is committed to the universal availability of nutritious, accessible, plant-based products. They aim to transform how plant-based beverages are produced by offering natural, organic, non-processed and healthy beverages to everyone, regardless of economic means, allowing people to enjoy naturally delicious products.

Wilk, a pioneering foodtech company, develops technology to produce cultured cow and breast milk. Founded in 2018, it aims to produce milk that closely matches the composition of commercial cow’s milk but is free from synthetic or plant additives and contains lower levels of hormones and antibiotics than traditional products. Wilk is also working on creating a lab-made replica of breast milk, which includes complex carbohydrates that support immune system development.

Else is the world’s first whole-plant dairy and soy-free infant formula line. The product is made of 100% plant-based ingredients (major ingredients are almond and buckwheat). Around 95% of the world’s infant formula products are based on dairy, and their core ingredients are whey protein and skimmed milk powder. Else’s plant-based infant formula raw ingredients have about 65% lower carbon footprint than standard products in this industry (according to Carboncloud.com calculation and validation).

Alfred’s FoodTech is transforming the plant-based food industry with its advanced production platform. This platform enables the large-scale creation of delicious, 100% plant-based foods, optimized for exceptional taste and texture. Their technology specifically addresses the challenges of off-tastes in plant proteins and enhances protein content, meeting the specific needs of contemporary food companies.

MNDL Bio enhances protein production by optimizing gene expression using advanced algorithms and patented methods from professor Tamir Tuller, a leader in computational and synthetic biology. Their core technology integrates AI and Machine Learning with genomic Big Data to significantly boost the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of biological systems.

The tradition of eating dairy foods on Shavuot can be traced back to several origins, blending Jewish religious symbolism, historical necessity and mystical significance. This practice honors the biblical description of the Promised Land as rich with “milk and honey” and symbolizes nourishment essential to life like milk to a baby.

At Startup Nation Central, we recognize the critical role that Israel’s agrifood tech sector plays in addressing global food challenges, including those posed by dairy production. Shavuot is a wonderful time to pay homage to the Israeli tech companies that are creatively solving this issue by delivering healthy and sustainable food solutions to a growing global population.

Originally published at JNS on June 7, 2024

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In a recent webinar, Avi Hasson, CEO at Startup Nation Central, spoke to Greg Poole, Global Head of Knowledge Network Content Distribution at UBS. The following is based on that conversation. The full webinar can be found here.

When examining the unique characteristics of Israeli innovation, one prominent trait stands out—what I like to call “impatient innovation.”

While patience is widely considered a virtue, impatience is often seen less positively. Israelis, to be frank, are notoriously impatient. This stems from living in a country without the luxury of space, time, or security. This urgency, however, is quite beneficial for fostering innovation.

As global challenges become more complex and governments and large companies sometimes struggle to respond effectively, innovation must play a crucial role. And traditional hierarchies, processes, and risk aversion can hinder this progress.

Impatient innovation means not waiting for full certainty before acting, not for the green light, and disregarding protocol and hierarchy. Intel, for example, is one of the 450 companies that have built innovation centers in Israel, manufacturing semiconductors and chips. Even in such process-oriented industries, Israelis approach tasks with audacity and a meritocratic focus on results, often without waiting for full certainty.

My 30 years of experience led me to believe that the world could benefit from a dose of this mindset. Israeli innovators, true to our moniker as the Startup Nation, are driven to find solutions quickly, make an impact, and change the world. Even our researchers and scientists embody this sense of impatience, making this characteristic a significant aspect of Israeli innovation.

Israel’s journey to becoming a hub of innovation is unique. Despite being a small country with less than 10 million people, far from any large market, and with many challenges, such as a lack of natural resources and a historically socialistic and closed economy, Israel has transformed into a knowledge economy – it only took us 30 years to become an “instant” success.

About 18% of Israel’s GDP comes from high tech, double the share in the U.S. and triple that of the EU. Approximately 13% of our workforce is employed in the high-tech industry. Half of our exports and 30% of our income taxes come from high tech. We lead the world in annual research and development spending, at about 6% of our GDP, excluding defense R&D. This impressive ecosystem is built on a foundation of talent, startups, and venture capital.

How did we achieve this?

A combination of cultural characteristics, such as impatience and chutzpah—a mix of boldness and confidence—played a significant role. Historically, Israel has always been a Problem-Solving Nation, dealing with existential challenges by leveraging technology, research, and innovation. This foundation laid the groundwork for our current high-tech prowess.

In addition to culture, Israel has developed a well-functioning infrastructure to foster a successful innovation ecosystem. This began in the 1980s with a series of pivotal events, including economic reform, opening Israel to the global economy, and establishing the R&D Law and the Office of the Chief Scientist. These events, coupled with a culture of impatience, catalyzed our transformation. Public-private partnerships were crucial, combining the strengths of the private sector with smart policies.

The rise of internet and mobile technologies, combined with a massive influx of skilled immigrants from the former Soviet Union and the creation of a venture capital industry, likewise propelled Israel into the high-tech era. We harnessed our innovation to achieve commercial and economic benefits, leading to today’s thriving ecosystem.

Today, we have one of the largest startup ecosystems in the world, with more than $60 billion raised in the past three years.

While cybersecurity remains a cornerstone, Israeli innovation is diversifying. Our solutions are not just about creating the next best app but about solving real, pressing problems: Israeli startups are making significant strides in sectors like climate tech, agrifood tech, health tech, and cybersecurity.

We have tripled the number of climate tech startups in recent years, from about 300 to over 900, spanning solutions from energy efficiency to data analytics and supply chain optimization.

Agrifood tech is another strong sector, with Israeli companies like Aleph Farms leading the way in alternative proteins and cultivated meat. Health tech has also evolved, leveraging digital health, AI, and sensors to drive innovation.

At Startup Nation Central, we facilitate strategic partnerships that enhance collaboration between global entities and Israel’s tech ecosystem. This creates ideal conditions for high-potential investments, allowing real climate, agrifood, and health tech solutions to be tested, adopted, and scaled effectively.

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re·sil·ience /rəˈzilēəns/ noun  

1. The capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.  
2. The ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity.

How do you know if something is resilient?
You test it – again and again and again.

The Israeli innovation ecosystem, the ‘Startup Nation’, is no stranger to difficulty. It is well poised to withstand, recover, and thrive, even now, as we fight the ugliest terror and evil.  

However, the new relationships we’ve built in the region in the last three years, in the context of the Abraham Accords and normalization, are still vulnerable. Relationships grounded in tech and economic collaboration have held so much promise for a prosperous future in our shared corner of the world. Robust business ties, academic exchange, knowledge sharing, and scalable tech solutions have forged close personal ties across the region. Tested now more than ever, these relationships are the key to building a resilient, innovative region and the reason why my colleagues and I traveled to COP28 in Dubai – despite our reservations and concerns.  

The Israeli economy withstands crisis and conflict. A recent analysis by Startup Nation Central shows that after Operation Protective Edge of July-Aug 2014, the Israeli economy not only showed resilience during the conflict but also continued to grow twice as much as the OECD average – 4% compared to 2% after the conflict. Of the ~290 Israeli companies that raised funds in H2 2014, 36% later had a successful exit, compared to ~30% in the preceding halves. And 2014 is not an isolated case.  

In conflicts before and after Protective Edge, and during COVID-19, the Israeli tech ecosystem demonstrated resilience. The current war with Hamas is not just another round of conflict and over 120 hostages are still held in Gaza with no information as to their wellbeing. But embedded in the DNA of Israeli innovators is often-tested resilience. This is why numerous countries in the region recognize that collaboration with Israeli tech offers opportunities for their economies and they continue to show interest in working with Israeli companies despite recent events.   

Partnering with the Israeli tech ecosystem brings a wealth of knowledge on building strong ecosystems, raising the next generation of local entrepreneurs, and partnering on tech solutions to challenges such as water security, agriculture, and energy.

During our time at COP28, we were initially concerned about how other attendees would receive our delegation, but this proved to be a non-issue. The openness and interest in Israeli solutions allowed us to strengthen existing ties and create new relationships with global partners, bring visibility to Israeli startups and the resilient Israeli ecosystem, and generate momentum for our Climate Solutions Prize initiative in partnership with JNF-Canada and KKL.  

For the second year in a row, this competition brings Israeli startups with impactful climate solutions to meet specific industry challenges. It is a platform that propels forward-thinking startups into the global arena, enabling them to contribute significantly to the fight against climate change. By providing these startups with the necessary resources and exposure, CSP plays a crucial role in fostering innovation and practical solutions in the realm of climate technology. Following the attendance of several CSP finalists at COP28, the winners of the Israeli Startup Track will be announced in February 2024. 

Since October 7, many delegations, conferences, and programs designed to concretize business partnerships have been put on hold. However, our shared economic aspirations and hope for a brighter future for the region persist.  Personal ties and actual friendships between people that just three years ago would not have been possible are our hope, and this hope was reinforced at COP28.  

As Bahrain’s Finance Minister Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa al-Khalifa emphasized at an investment conference in Saudi Arabia: “It’s extremely important in the region that we continue to build bridges”, and not let the Israel-Hamas war interrupt economic integration in the region. He continued that some want to build and others seek to destroy:

“The people who should write the future are the builders in the region.”

We look forward to deepening our ties with our partners and friends across the region. Together we will create a forward-thinking, entrepreneurial, resilient future for our region – now more than ever. 

The post Building a Resilient Region appeared first on Startup Nation Central.

Much (if not too much) has been said about the high expectations that followed the announcement of normalization between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain – as well as the revival of Israel’s relations with Morocco. ‘Disappointment’ in the supposed slow pace of the Accords’ materialization can be explained by an overestimated anticipated speed of developments, and this seems less relevant now as we look back at the volume of activities this past year.

In March 2023, the first Bahrain-Israel business conference, Connect2Innovate, took place in Manama. Over 600 people attended, the majority from Bahrain’s business community. For many Bahrainis, it was the first time they met Israelis in person. But it is not just the first engagement that is newsworthy: several business deals and partnerships were announced during and following the conference.

Over the last 12 months, visits to Israel by the heads of the Emirati free zones, and more importantly, registration of Israeli companies at ADGM, DIFC, and DMCC, have increased. This shows that Israeli businesses are making good use of the benefits that the free zones offer and are investing in opening offices in the UAE.

Israeli-Moroccan partnerships have also multiplied in ag-tech, energy, water, and more, accompanied by reciprocated investments. While the economic exchange is increasing at a quick and steady pace, there is still much more potential for growth. But we are on a great track.

While all the above is, without a doubt, positive and encouraging, it is not the end of the story. The lens through which the Accords need to be viewed must recognize the foundations that have been laid, the trajectory that the relations have been growing on, and the potential that is being realized. In this context, the Abraham Accords can already be regarded as a success.

Considering the lack of official connections between these countries for over seven decades, accompanied by mistrust and misconceptions, what has been accomplished so far is quite remarkable. The bottom line – deals, mutual investments, and trade – speaks for itself. And this is just the surface. Underneath, real people-to-people connections are being made. Learning each other’s challenges, strengths, and areas for growth – and more importantly how to live with them – are vital steps to cementing ties to form long-term partnerships.

Essentially, we have identified the commonalities and complementarities of each stakeholder. We understand not just what the shared challenges are but have discussed and actually started to implement partnerships that address them. Alongside the development of these new diplomatic relations, we are witnessing some of the most pressing issues of our time: the implications of climate change, which are increasingly felt; coping with a global pandemic; the international effects of regional conflicts, for example how the war in Ukraine impacted food security and migration trends in other counties…

The only way to tackle these and other problems is through collaboration, and for collaboration to succeed it must be based on innovation. The MENA region is both highly vulnerable to global challenges and a growing and expanding innovation hub, making it the natural breeding ground for technological solutions to the issues of our time. Cross-border partnerships are already underway between governments, businesses, and civil society, and these pave the way to creating these solutions. Emirati investments in Israeli ag-tech companies, Israeli water companies piloting in Bahrain, and collaborations between climate tech companies from Morocco and Israel, are just a few examples of how this once unattainable dream is becoming a reality.

The new geopolitical reality is made possible by the active participation of the United States and greater American business engagement in this trilateral partnership is essential for its advancement. Additionally, these new ties to be resilient and long-lasting, and regional partnership needs to expand to more countries. Nations that Israel does not yet have relations with and, no less important, those with whom Israel has had a peace agreement for many years, Egypt and Jordan, are no longer outliers. The Abraham Accords have created the conditions for these countries to expand and deepen their relations with Israel.

As we celebrate the third anniversary of the Abraham Accords, much tangible and meaningful progress has been made. While there is still more to be achieved, we should be proud of the momentum we have generated over the past three years.

Yariv Becher is Vice President of Innovation Diplomacy at Start-Up Nation Central and a former commercial attaché on behalf of Israel’s Ministry of Economy, helping Israeli technology companies penetrate foreign markets.

Article originally published on JNS (Sept. 6, 2023)

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Imagine living in a region where technological innovation was an integral part of our diplomatic exchange, where each nation contributes its own unique strength to our shared endeavors. This isn’t just about exchanging technology; it’s about building regional ecosystems and fostering knowledge economies. In this integrated region, shared technological resources can drive progress toward essential climate goals, such as sustainable agriculture and water management. The innovative ecosystem — startups, investors, academia, mature companies, and governments all have a crucial role to play.

Agricultural and environmental cooperation is a concrete example of how sharing knowledge resources can make a difference. Water scarcity is a pressing concern in the Middle East, but collaborative technology can change that narrative. For example, advanced desalination techniques developed in one country can be adapted and applied in another, while imported energy solutions can power these same desalinization facilities. Or, data analytics for optimizing crop yields can be shared to tackle food security issues collectively. This value is not limited to businesses and governments; utilizing local assets and leveraging unique competitive advantages holds the potential to create real impact and opportunity for the people of the region.

This collaborative approach is increasingly seen in big deals between Israeli startups and organizations across the region. SupPlant, an Israeli ag-tech startup with sensor technology helping farmers adapt to climate change and maximize yields, recently partnered with the UAE’s Mawarid Holding Investment for a water-saving irrigation project targeting date trees. The initiative reduces water usage by at least 20% in the first year while improving the quality of the dates produced.

Another deal propelling regional collaboration is between SolarEdge Technologies, an Israel-based renewable energy company, and Saudi business group Ajlan & Bros Holding, boosting solar power adoption in Saudi Arabia. The joint venture, based in Riyadh, supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan to diversify its economy away from oil and follows a preliminary cooperation agreement signed last year during U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia. With the current lack of formal diplomatic relations between these nations, the partnership is significant in the broader context of Middle East collaboration.

However, it’s essential to acknowledge that there are challenges that must be navigated to realize this vision fully. Time frames for project execution may differ between nations, and expectations around these may need to be aligned. Nevertheless, these are manageable challenges, and the private sector’s potential to fill the gap where government efforts lag is especially potent in meeting ambitious climate goals.

In the past two years, at events initiated by Start-Up Nation Central, Israeli companies in ag-tech, water, logistics, fintech, and more, met, engaged, and formed partnerships with counterparts in the UAE, Morocco, and Bahrain. In a couple of months, Israeli climate tech entrepreneurs and innovators will attend COP28 in Dubai to do the same with Emirati colleagues, among other countries. This business engagement is accompanied by partnerships on an infrastructure level. Knowledge sharing and exchange of best practices in innovation ecosystem building have been taking place in a structured and intentional way to enable the growth of an innovation ecosystem on a regional scale. Representatives from different government agencies participated in workshops held during Connect2Innovate events in Manama and Casablanca, addressing needs and policies that enable the development of a thriving tech industry. Follow-on delegations met to discuss technology transfer, funding programs, and innovation platforms.

The vision of collaborative prosperity is already transforming the Middle East. As the normalization ties forged three years ago mature into collaborative relationships, the exchange of insights, technologies, and expertise can contribute to a more stable and prosperous region than any one nation can achieve alone. Innovation diplomacy and shared technological resources aren’t just feel-good phrases; they are foundational strategies that can enable the region to meet sustainability and climate objectives.

Avi Hasson is the CEO of Start-Up Nation Central, a Tel Aviv-based non-profit organization that promotes Israeli innovation around the world. Hasson previously served as Israel’s chief scientist and the founding chairman of the Israel Innovation Authority and as an investor in many Israeli technology companies.

This article first appeared in USA Today on September 15, 2023

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For an innovation ecosystem to thrive, it is essential for a state or market to not only possess technical know-how and encourage the establishment of startups but to also possess an infrastructure of diverse, but interconnected, components. These include access to funding, strong ties with academia, effective systems for tech transfer to commercialize intellectual property, innovation vehicles such as incubators and accelerators, the presence of multinational corporations, and, crucially, supportive governmental policies that bind everything together. By nurturing and harmonizing these vital elements, an ecosystem can truly flourish and drive sustainable innovation and growth. 

Morocco’s innovation ecosystem has been gradually maturing, driven by dedicated efforts from the government, academia, and private sector. This cooperation is nurturing the infrastructure needed to foster a growing entrepreneurial mindset. The country’s geostrategic position stands at the crossroads of continents. Together with its skilled tech talent (>10,000 fresh engineers every year) and strong R&D capabilities, Morocco provides a fertile ground for entrepreneurship to flourish. 

Recent initiatives such as the new investment charter for developing private investment in the Kingdom, and tax advantages aligned with international best practices, lay foundations to bolster the ecosystem even further. In regard to an entrepreneurial mindset, the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2020 (GEM) report highlights a significant increase in entrepreneurial activity in Morocco, with the Total Entrepreneurial Activity (TEA) rate reaching 18.4% in 2020. Furthermore, according to the Arab Youth Survey 2020, 85% of young Moroccans view entrepreneurship as a favorable career choice, reflecting the burgeoning interest of the younger generation in startups. 

Despite this acceleration, the current landscape in Morocco is often characterized by silos. Each constituent pillar tends to operate independently, with limited interaction and cross-fertilization of ideas. To fully unlock its potential in the years to come, fostering a spirit of collaboration and integration among all stakeholders and assets in Morocco’s innovation ecosystem will be the vital catalyst for continued growth and success. 

Developing synergies between the different pillars is vital for nurturing a dynamic ecosystem. Academia, with its research expertise, can collaborate with startups to transform cutting-edge research into viable products and solutions. The private sector, with its market reach and resources, can provide the necessary support and investment to scale up innovations. Meanwhile, the government can continue playing a pivotal role in creating an enabling environment through supportive policies, regulations, and targeted funding. 

Breaking down the silo mindset requires a collective effort. Encouraging open dialogue, fostering a culture of trust and collaboration, and organizing interdisciplinary events, are essential steps toward building stronger connections. Platforms and communities that facilitate the exchange of ideas, expertise, and best practices will be instrumental in fostering cross-pollination within and between different sectors. 

Furthermore, international collaboration plays a crucial role in Morocco’s journey toward an integrated innovation ecosystem. Partnering with other innovation ecosystems, hubs, and international organizations can bring valuable insights and opportunities.  

Following Morocco and Israel signing the Abraham Accords in 2020, we have seen significant advancements in collaboration between our two ecosystems that hold the promise for continued knowledge-sharing opportunities.  

Israel, renowned for its transformation into a knowledge-based economy, has a vibrant innovative ecosystem including more than 7,000 startups, nearly 900 investors, and more than 450 multinational companies. The Startup Nation is also home to an impressive network of academic, business, and technology stakeholders who can offer insight from Israel’s innovation ecosystem-building journey that encompasses both successes and failures.  

Through cooperation and knowledge exchange, both nations can forge lasting partnerships and collectively shape a new era of innovation and prosperity for the people of both nations – which was a core pillar in the signing of the Abraham Accords.  

This article was first published in Morocco World News on August 31, 2023.

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Healthcare is on the front lines of climate change bearing the costs of increased illnesses, changes in disease prevalence, and the health impacts of more frequent extreme weather events. At the same time, healthcare operations contribute significantly to climate change and the very diseases it is trying to treat. The healthcare sector is responsible for nearly 10% of U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with hospitals generating one-third of those emissions; 2½ times more energy per square foot is consumed by hospitals than any other commercial building.

Hospitals have a special leadership opportunity to address climate change by implementing Climate Tech innovative solutions to mitigate their emissions and adapt their infrastructure to climate-related challenges such as floods, fires, heatwaves, and more. The incentives to embrace sustainability are growing and include both improving brand awareness and positioning, as well as reducing waste disposal costs, energy bills, and the likely possibility of avoiding penalties.

Some of the most advanced Climate Tech solutions are being developed by entrepreneurs in the Israeli tech ecosystem. At a recent event hosted by Start-Up Nation Central, healthcare leaders from around the world gained exposure to some of these innovations. Let’s look at some of the most advanced approaches that healthcare facilities can adopt to drive their sustainability and their business results:

• Adopt Lower Carbon Energy Systems:
  Approximately 35% of the greenhouse gas emissions of hospitals in advanced countries derive from the electricity they use, as well as the heating systems. Instead of relying on fossil fuels, hospitals can convert to more efficient and environmentally friendly energy sources that reduce costs. Hospitals should consider installing smart lighting systems and investing in green energy, solar panels, and other clean energy generators. Some health systems even generate energy from the onsite incinerators they use to dispose of waste. The installation of distributed renewable energy plus storage can also help hospitals remain operational during extreme weather events or periods of peak demand. The Soroka Medical Center in Israel is already adopting the thermal storage and cooling solution by Nostromo (read here), and the Wolfson Hospital is utilizing Brenmiller for energy storage and heat supply. In addition, hospitals can drive their energy efficiency with energy optimization predictive tools such as those of Alteco.ai, smart air conditioning systems such as Sensibo and Urecsys, which also help optimize the air quality of indoor facilities.
  
• Reduce food waste and switch to sustainable food sources:
  Food is a critical element, both in terms of what a patient consumes as well as what a hospital serves or wastes – and today, approximately 17% of the greenhouse gas emissions of hospitals derive from catering. Climate Tech solutions include replacing animal products with plant-based or cultivated foods with Israeli solutions that are ready to roll up such as Aleph Farm and Remilk. Also in terms of reducing and treating food waste, hospitals can utilize solutions such as HomeBiogas which turns organic waste into energy, on-site. 
  
• Textiles and Hygiene products
  2% of greenhouse gas emissions in hospitals are related to the use of textiles, and another 2% to laundry activities. The number of textiles applications in the healthcare industry range from simple cleaning wipes to advanced barrier fabrics used for operating rooms. Israeli startups are offering new sustainable and cost-effective ways to protect both hospital staff and their patients from bacteria, viruses, and body fluid invasions in operating room environments, while at the same time cutting down the use of water, energy, and harmful products and polymers that are currently massively used in textiles production. Solutions include Sonovia, which targets the healthcare industry with its ultrasonic technology that eliminates the extensive pollution caused by textile finishing and dyeing while significantly reducing costs and increasing performance. Also in the new generation of hygiene products, Israeli company Polygreen offers an ecological super absorbent polymer that replaces the polluting permeable plastic currently used in the market, allowing diapers to become fully compostable for the first time. 
  
• Water and wastewater
  About 5% of the greenhouse gas emissions at hospitals is the result of water and wastewater management. 7% of the U.S. commercial water supply is used by hospitals. Delivery care facilities can utilize the power of artificial intelligence, signal processing, auto-shutoff valves, and IoT technologies to manage their water effectively, reduce consumption, eliminate waste, prevent water leak damage, and reduce their environmental footprint. Advanced solutions in this space include those of Wint.ai and Drizzle.
  
• Drive innovation in waste management processes
  Healthcare facilities have particular constraints to attend to when it comes to their waste management processes, in particular, those related to medical waste. With unique needs come unique opportunities for novel recycling technologies and new materials for medical procedures with lower environmental impacts from their generation and disposal, such as non-plastic packaging options for sterile medical devices, and on-site remediation technologies for medical waste enabling recycling (such as solutions that can shred and sterilize medical waste to allow for more recycling options). Solutions in this space include decentralized waste disposal systems such as Zohar Cleant Tech, Co-Energy, and Boson Energy – all of which have the additional benefit of generating bio-syngas and hydrogen which can further reduce the use of fossil fuels. 

Click here to access a WatchList of innovative climate tech solutions for the healthcare sector. 

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Aviva Steinberger is the Director of Innovation Diplomacy at Start-Up Nation Central, leveraging the power of innovation to build resilient, long-term regional ties and capitalize on collaborative business potential.

In March, I represented Start-Up Nation Central at N7 Initiative’s Conference on Agriculture, Food, and Water Security in Abu Dhabi. I spent the week there with 70 sector experts and new friends from Muslim countries across the region workshopping practical, actionable projects that address our shared challenges.

While I was there, my colleagues were in Manama, Bahrain, hosting the first bilateral innovation conference with more than 450 Bahrainis, a delegation of Israeli start-ups, and other GCC representatives showcasing innovations in health tech, water tech, fintech, and more. Another colleague of mine, also from Start-Up Nation Central was in Morocco planning a collaboration between Israel and Morocco’s water-tech sectors and discussing human capital exchanges. This is innovation diplomacy in action.

This week I was in Morocco for an exclusive event bringing together women business leaders from across the region for collaborative dialogue around shared, pressing challenges. This snapshot would have sounded like fiction 20 years ago, a pipe dream 10 years ago – impossible even three years ago.

The Abraham Accords set the stage for these opportunities and are arguably the most significant geopolitical event in the Middle East in the past 20 years. Some even call them tectonic.

The accords, a collection of trilateral normalization agreements signed nearly three years ago between the United States, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain with Morocco and Sudan joining shortly thereafter, have created a new normal of collaboration that is changing the dynamics of the region. And at the center of it is Innovation Diplomacy.

The Abraham Accords ushered in an era of peace and prosperity in the Middle East

THE VISION behind the accords was to bring peace and prosperity to the Middle East – and it has done that and more. In a short period of time, we have seen an 82% increase in trade year over year between Israel and Accords countries, free trade agreements signed (with another on the way), exchanges of delegations focused on innovation and tech collaboration, and dozens of MOUs (memorandums of understanding) outlining cross-border academic exchanges.

The Accords have been successful in building resilient relationships because it has been a vehicle for innovation diplomacy, enabling technology to drive solutions to shared challenges in the region and foster collaboration. Israel, the Start-Up Nation, has over 7,300 innovative companies and start-ups. The ecosystem is supported by accelerators, incubators, tech transfer offices, and government regulations and incentives.

Countries in the region are going through a transformation, investing billions of dollars into developing knowledge-based economies and their own entrepreneurial sectors. They acknowledge that the Israeli journey over the last three decades has been remarkable and presents opportunities for real gains in the region’s economy.

Furthermore, the climate tech sector in Israel is growing exponentially. Investments in water, energy, agriculture, and food security have risen consistently even in the face of global macroeconomic conditions, amounting to nearly USD 6 billion in 2022. The impacts of climate change do not follow geographic boundaries, and the MENA region is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, with sandstorms, flooding, extreme heat, and drought becoming typical and threatening our access to clean water and food.

The Abraham Accords have created a new era of collaboration and innovation in the Middle East, ushering in cooperation and prosperity that was once unimaginable. The normalization of relations between Israel and Arab countries has created opportunities for collaboration in various sectors, including innovation for climate change solutions. The Start-Up Nation has played a significant role in this process, making it an essential partner for other countries in the region and laying the groundwork for innovation diplomacy.

As the region continues to invest in knowledge-based economies and entrepreneurship, the possibilities for collaboration and growth are endless. The Abraham Accords will continue to shape the future of the Middle East for years to come.

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Over the past 10 years, more and more women in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region are starting their own businesses, many in the technology and innovation sectors, and securing their futures. According to the International Finance Corporation, since the tech industry is still relatively new in the Arab world, there is no legacy of it being male-dominated and as a result is open to female entrepreneurship. As a result, one in every three tech firms in the Middle East is led by women, much higher than in Silicon Valley. 

The fifth-annual Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs report shows that more women are starting businesses in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco, Algeria, and Lebanon than ever before. The report found that 87% of Saudi Arabia’s female business owners started companies to raise their financial independence. Entrepreneurship is particularly attractive for women in this region who have grown up with technology and social media. They have ideas and ambitions to start up and grow their companies. 

The catalyst for female entrepreneurship is often tied to societal pressures on women to stay at home, the gender gap, and structural disadvantages in fund-raising and investments.

An additional benefit is that according to the World Bank, female-owned businesses hire more women (25%) than their male counterparts do (22%). Female-owned firms also employ a higher percentage of women in managerial roles, helping women to climb up the ladder, compared to those who are only hired for lower, unskilled positions. To top it off, women-led businesses are hiring more workers in general. In Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, firms run by women are growing their workforces at higher rates than those run by men.

Last week in Marrakesh, we at Start-Up Nation Central, our partner in Morocco, CPR, and with the support of many partners in Morocco, brought together nearly 100 female business leaders from across four continents to forge new collaborations. At the Connect to Innovate event, we explored the role of innovation in empowering women to generate prosperity in the region. The women hailed from Bahrain, Benin, the Central African Republic, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, the Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates. 

Aviva Steinberger, Director of Innovation Diplomacy at Start-Up Nation Central, addresses attendees at the “Women Connect to Innovate” conference in Morocco on May 4, 2023.

Together, we discussed the shared challenges facing the Middle East and Africa and how they are defined not just by geography, culture, or religion, but also by how these impact women’s access to financial security, education, and the basic infrastructure that enable leadership opportunities. Each female leader represents a network of women in their own countries with whom they can share takeaways in order to expand and share a passion for scripting the future of the region. 

By bringing together prominent women in business, innovation, and technology from the region, we are creating a cohort of women who will help propel our region forward. Inspired by His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s active role and vision of women’s roles in economic development, Morocco sits at the crossroads of connecting the Middle East and Africa and is therefore a pivotal player in helping to further female entrepreneurship in the region. 

This gathering fostered dialogue and connected female business leaders from across the region. Growing female talent in the workforce is an important goal for Morocco and it is wonderful to convene this impressive group of women. The groundwork for new collaborations has been laid, and we will harness the power of bringing women together to share their stories and journeys to success, and we look forward to seeing it progress.

First published in Morocco World News May 2023

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