The expo where it’s affordable to invest
SOME 7,000 people from dozens of countries descended on Jerusalem for a festival of Israeli technology.
The International Convention Centre was filled-to-burst with people quizzing innovators about their technology. The event took the boffins out of their labs and computer suites, and put them face-to-face with investors who are looking to take a punt on Israeli brainpower.
Organiser Jon Medved is founder of OurCrowd, the matchmakers of the hi tech scene. The firm has made it much easier for people who don’t fit the ultra-high net wealth category to invest in innovation.
It provides opportunities — like this Global Investor Summit — for people to meet technology companies and explore opportunities for investing their savings in the startup scene. The seven-year-old company has raised $1.2 billion (£920 million) for Israeli technology, including $500 million in new funding commitments last year alone.
Companies funded through OurCrowd have been acquired by brands, including Uber, Canon, Oracle, Nike, and Intel.
Many that were courting investors here have an ethical or “impact” agenda, and Mr Medved said investors came with “the goal of making the world a better, safer, and healthier place.”
With foreign visitors dressing as they do back home, and Israelis dressing to impress them, there were more suits and ties than ever seen at an Israeli event. Everywhere you looked people were networking, exchanging business cards, and promising to meet for coffee, drinks, and video conferences.
Big companies were out in force, talent-spotting and looking for startups they may want to cooperate with. There were also big names like Donald Trump’s former aide Jason Greenblatt, who spoke of his hope that economic cooperation can bring Israelis, Palestinians and the Middle East together.
“Let us create a Middle East 2.0, whose might and energy can power the region, and perhaps the world, to a much brighter future,” he said. “Let
Jason Greenblatt spoke at the event that featured exhibits from CropX
and the GoCube us continue building relationships between Israel and its neighbours in the region, to work on what once seemed impossible, building together an economic bridge of peace.”
On show was technology that can