Birth Of The Startups
In the 1980s, Israel faced sky-high inflation and few natural resources — instead of giving up, they doubled down on this.
What is Innovation?
This organization supports research and development by giving grants to startups that take risks on new tech.
What is the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA)
Almost every Israeli serves here at age 18 — a key experience that builds leadership and resilience.
What is the Israeli Defense Force (IDF)
This Yiddish word captures the bold, risk-taking attitude that defines Israeli entrepreneurship.
What is chutzpah?
You’ve probably used this Israeli-made navigation app to beat traffic.
What is Waze?
This 1993 government initiative helped kickstart Israel’s entire venture capital industry.
What is the Yozma Program?
This type of government support allows companies to test new ideas with less financial fear.
What are grants and tax incentives?
The IDF’s elite Unit 8200 is famous for producing these kinds of innovative founders.
What are tech or cybersecurity entrepreneurs?
Israelis tend to challenge authority and ask “why” — a reflection of this mindset.
What is critical thinking?
This website builder, founded in Israel, powers millions of small business sites worldwide.
What is Wix?
Israel’s early entrepreneurs turned their “desert land” challenge into an opportunity to pioneer these types of technologies.
What are agricultural or water-saving technologies?
This program invites international founders to move to Israel and build their companies there.
What is the Startup Visa Program?
Serving in the military helps Israelis learn this essential startup skill — staying calm under pressure.
What is resilience?
Israeli workplaces tend to be flat, meaning leaders and employees often share this kind of relationship.
What is an informal relationship?
This workplace productivity tool, founded by Roy Mann and Eran Zinman, has become a global hit.
What is Monday.com?
Israel turned its tough geopolitical environment into fuel for creativity and resilience — in short, it used this to its advantage.
What is conflict-driven innovation?
Even government contracts can help startups grow — particularly in industries like cyber and defense.
What are government procurement opportunities?
In the IDF, soldiers advance based on merit, not background, which encourages this key business value.
What is equality?
Networking and mentorship are huge in Israel — everyone’s treated more like this than a colleague.
What is a friend?
This Israeli company pioneered driver-assistance technology and was later acquired by Intel.
What is Mobileye?
By blending culture, government, and business, Israel became known globally as this nickname.
What is the “Startup Nation”?
Government-backed investment funds, such as those that supported companies like Mobileye, aim to boost this.
What is job creation and economic growth?
The overlap between military R&D and commercial tech makes Israel a global leader in this sector.
What is cybersecurity?
Israelis’ casual and flexible work culture encourages authenticity and creativity, also known as this kind of culture.
What is an open work culture?
From agriculture to AI, Israel’s startups have mastered innovation in tough environments — particularly in this field of “smart farming.”
What is precision agriculture?