How Israel is Shaping our Future

Day three of our program began with an informative meeting at Moovit's headquarters, the #1 urban mobility app worldwide. Moovit is unique in that it aggregates information from a variety of sources to provide the most accurate, real-time information for travelers; this includes transit operators, governmental authorities, and millions of their users. A key feature of their platform is that they integrate all forms of transport--including car-sharing, local bicycle services, scooters, all public transport options, and more--to provide a unique Mobility as a Service (MaaS) solution to their users. One of the most impressive aspects of their business is how they are using Big Data to transform the way people move across cities. They collect 5 billion anonymous data points per day, which can be shared with local governments and transit operators to make their services more user-friendly and efficient. To share a personal example of how this can have an individualized impact, data from Moovit can help people with disabilities navigate the often-unfriendly landscape of public transport by providing accurate, real-time information on which subway stations have functioning elevators. One big takeaway from this visit was learning about how a company can use one platform to provide solutions to a variety of client categories; in this case, they serve individual consumers, private companies, and government agencies. As humans continue to migrate to cities and we see a growing number of megacities with over 10 million people, we will see an increased need for smart mobility applications that help us navigate the urban jungle.

Next, we visited one of the most amazing organizations in the world: the Weizmann Institute of Science. The Weizmann Institute is one of the world's leading multidisciplinary research facilities focused on natural sciences. First established in 1934, they are responsible for groundbreaking research, advances in medicine and technology that have significantly improved quality of life around the world, and discoveries that are truly shaping the future for humanity and the environment. For example, their cancer research led to the discovery of the gene that encodes p53, a protein that suppresses tumors and is found to be dysfunctional in almost all types of cancer. Their work has led to the basis for the drug Erbitux that treats colorectal, head, and neck cancer, and many other insights for cancer varieties. They are responsible for six Nobel laureates and three Turing Award winners. From a business perspective, it's impressive to note that their research has led to over 2,000 families of patents which are the basis for 37 independent companies, and $37 Billion of revenue (in 2017). A lesson learned here is how technology transfer can commercialize scientific discoveries to take groundbreaking research out of the lab and into the hands of consumers for the benefit of society worldwide.

We then went to Rishon Start-Up, a co-working space designed exclusively for technological entrepreneurs. It's subsidized by the municipality, which allows early stage startups to access their services at a very low fee. This is one way the government fosters entrepreneurship and commerce, by providing opportunities for new businesses to succeed. It's a unique environment for startup founders to work closely together; it was impressive to see the collaboration happening between different groups that otherwise wouldn't have had much interaction. Creating a shared space for people who are facing similar challenges allows for cross-pollination of ideas and solutions, and the energetic exchange in the office was tangible. We also had the opportunity to meet one-on-one with entrepreneurs who were in similar fields as us to discuss new ideas that we were each working on and get feedback, which was a huge value-add. As the global economy transitions to the new "gig" economy with more independent freelancers and entrepreneurs, it's crucial to have these places that foster connection and collaboration to create a thriving business-world for our future.

From here, we went to one of the most impressive visits of the trip: Netafim, a company that has revolutionized the way our food is grown around the world. They are the creators of drip irrigation that allows farmers to grow more food, with less water, using a precise irrigation technology. Their custom-designed tubing delivers the perfect amount of water and nutrients to the root of a plant--not the soil--which allows for healthier plants while saving precious resources. They have even individualized this process to specific crops! Their proprietary technology also allows the farmer to monitor, analyze, and therefore optimize processes at every step of the way. We took a guided tour of the factory and it was incredible to see the autonomous robots working together! We saw how they can even diagnose problems, identify solutions, and communicate between each other--and with humans--to maximize production efficiency. There is so much demand for their products worldwide that they are operating at 100% capacity! With our rapidly expanding population, this technology is critical for farmers to sustainably produce enough quality nutrition to support our future civilizations.

With such a future-focused day, it was nice to end it by revisiting our past. We visited a local Bedouin community in the Negev, Israel's southern desert, that shared with us their traditional ways of living and some of their cultural customs. The Bedouins are a subgroup of the Arab people living in Israel with their own historical and social uniqueness. Many of them are fully integrated into society and live a modern lifestyle, but their origins are of a semi-nomadic way of living. We sat around in a tent with one of their elders and learned about a simpler way of life. It was a good reminder to end the day that despite all our technological advancements, it's important to be in touch with our roots and stay connected to the most meaningful parts of our lives.

Start-Ups and Venture Capital in Israel

Day two of Innovation Journey 2019 started with an impressive meeting with the Chief Operating Officer of Terra Venture Partners. Terra is an innovative venture capital firm that invests in technologies that are focused on making a positive impact in the world; while making a positive return for their investors. Their core belief is that it is possible to do well and do good, at the same time. Terra focuses on three sectors: energy and resource efficiency, healthcare and wellness, and digitalizing the real economy.

One of their main competitive advantages is that they won a special license from the Israel Innovation Authority to operate their Terra Lab incubator. Through the highly competitive selection process, the Israeli government provides a 6:1 capital investment match to approved startups. For every $100,000 that Terra Labs invests in an approved startup, the Israel Innovation Authority invests $600,000. This provides unprecedented leverage to help new businesses thrive.

We then took a tour through their incubator office to meet with some of their companies. A few standout examples are FieldIn, who provide farm management technology for optimizing pesticide and fertilizer use, Neurorelief who have created an electromagnetic headset that treats migraines and depression, and SixGill, a cyber-threat intelligence platform that monitors the dark web. It was amazing to see the collaborative spirit at work in an environment with such diverse companies all working to make the world a better place.

The program continued with a meeting at Nemesysco headquarters where we were greeted by the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). We learned about their layered voice analysis technology that detects genuine emotions by measuring a variety of factors in our speaking voice within 20 milliseconds. This is below the perceptible range we can hear with the "naked" ear and is impossible for us to consciously control. Thus, their revolutionary software prevents fraud or attempts to deceive it. A big takeaway from this visit was learning about the wide variety of applications this core innovation can have; from integrity and personality assessments, to customer service, fraud detection, and more.

Later on, we met with the Founder and CEO of Healthier Globe, a strategy consulting firm that helps medical device companies expand internationally. He shared an overview of the medical technologies industry in Israel, as well as a broader perspective of his experience growing companies overseas. One unique aspect of the Israeli healthcare system is that patient data is shared across all different providers, both private and public. This allows companies to create targeted solutions that get closer to individualized healthcare, where each person is able to get the proper treatment that is unique to their experiences and even DNA.

Next up, we had a meeting with the CEO of iArgento, an alternative investment growth-tech fund. We learned about their investment strategy and how they evaluate startups, and also learned about a few promising companies in their portfolio. Ayyeka offers a robust hardware, software, and service solution that allows for data collection and analysis with any sensor, server, and platform. Their technology has been used to help cities manage sewer and wastewater overflow, as a safety monitoring system in coal mines to detect air quality, ground pressure, and water levels, and to fight land degradation by monitoring soil erosion levels. WiseSight is an intelligent parking technology software that allows for real-time monitoring of street parking. It uses machine learning for identification and tracking across multiple cameras. They are able to integrate with municipal infrastructure as part of a smart city layout to share parking and payment statistics, or partner with private parking services to better utilize their assets. SciRoot is an irrigation management technology to help farmers use less water and grow healthier crops. Their sensor embeds into the soil and around the plant roots to know exactly how much to water crops and when. The save 50% amount of water and produce a 40% higher crop yield.

We then met with a Vice President of Chakratec, a company that patented flywheel technology for charging stations. Their kinetic energy storage system uses no chemicals, has unlimited charging cycles, and a 20-year lifespan; significant improvements on existing alternatives. Following that was our meeting with the Co-Founder and CEO of Tuqqi, who shared with us their unique AI knowledge management platform. What's unique about this system is that it "pushes" relevant information to users at the right time, rather than relying on people searching for information. On average, 1.8 hours are wasted every day by knowledge workers worldwide, according to a McKinsey report. Tuqqi aims to make individuals and organizations more productive by giving back lost time.

This day ended with a very special intimate fireside chat with the founder of Iron Dome, Israel's missile defense system. This acts as an invisible shield over the entire country that detects incoming missiles, analyzes those that will land in populated areas, and intercepts them, destroying the threat mid-air. This innovation is responsible for countless lives saved, as well as money saved due to protected physical assets, buildings, and infrastructure. It was really impactful to hear first hand how this technology is deployed in the field and to personally hear stories from the frontlines. It was absolutely a one-of-a-kind experience!

An Introduction to the Start-Up Nation's Innovation Ecosystem

Innovation Journey kicked off to a great start in Tel Aviv on September 10, 2019. We started the day with Assaf Luxembourg who gave an energetic introduction to Israel, the Start-Up Nation. We learned about the many facets of the country and its culture, going beyond popular media portrayals. It is such a diverse country--in terms of demographics, geography, industries, and more--that there is plenty to learn anywhere you look. For the purposes of our trip, we are focusing on the business sector, specifically as it relates to innovation.

Kelby Kupersmid led an Innovation Leadership workshop to dig deeper into why innovation is so important, what it means in today's business environment, and what the different types of innovation are. This gave us a new perspective through which to analyze and understand innovation throughout our program. We followed with a visit to the beautiful ToHa building, designed by renowned architect Ron Arad. It is WeWork's largest building in Israel and a striking addition to the Tel Aviv skyline, resembling an iceberg.

We then met with Blue White Robotics, a firm dedicated to creating an autonomous future. A group of former Israeli Air Force pilots established this company with their focus on testing and experimentation solutions for autonomous vehicles and drones. They are a leading organization in Israel, despite being only two and a half years old, and we learned about the many applications of their software. A big takeaway here is how a company can grow as a value-add solution to other providers' drone hardware.

We then went to lunch at the Sarona Market, a marketplace that brings together a wide variety of international culinary offerings. After lunch, we met with IDB, a business conglomerate that holds leading companies across a variety of industries such as retail, telecom, insurance, real estate, and more. They are also responsible for the ToHa building mentioned earlier. We got an inside look at the design and development of the building. The executive we met with also went more in-depth into Israeli culture and what aspects contribute to the innovation ecosystem. Overall an outstanding first day of the program!