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Israel Financial Institutions are Supporting Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Israel has one of the highest densities of startups in the world, and its capital, Tel Aviv, was ranked second after Silicon Valley among the world’s startup ecosystems.
Strong interconnection among Israel’s citizens, ideas exchange, collaboration, and essential support from the government and different financial institutions make the country’s innovation ecosystem so successful. Numerous banks, venture capital firms, and investment funds actively finance startups and innovative companies. They provide entrepreneurs with loans, venture capital, grants, subsidies, and equity investments to fund, scale, and mitigate risks associated with their businesses. The government also offers various tax incentives for businesses.
Israel’s Innovation Ecosystem
Due to the large amount of entrepreneurs and startups, Israel is known worldwide as a “Startup Nation.” The country is home to over 6,000 startups, with entrepreneurship and innovations as key sectors of its economy.
Other actively developing sectors in Israel’s innovation ecosystem are cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), robotics, healthcare, and fintech. Israel is interested in the growth of startups and does its best to make it an attractive destination for entrepreneurs, investors, and researchers.
Israel is rich in successful startups in almost every area due to the favorable conditions for business development in the country. Thus, BeeWise (robotic sector), Agora (PropTech), Firebolt (big data), Jolt (EdTech), Sentra (cybersecurity), and many other Israeli companies constantly develop and achieve success in various sectors.
Investment Opportunities
Despite many regional geopolitical challenges, numerous governmental incentives and a secure and healthy economy make Israel one of the most attractive places for investors and business owners. The country is open to foreign investment, and the government actively supports the inflow of foreign capital. In Israel, the rights of both domestic and foreign entities to establish and own businesses are highly protected.
In 2016 alone, Israeli startups secured around $4.8 billion from investors, and high-tech and startup companies were sold for $10.02 billion. Today, innovators in Israel can receive financial support for their businesses through venture capital, government initiatives, strategic partnerships, etc.
There are many firms in the country that actively invest in startups, for example, Bessemer Venture, OurCrowd, and others. Large Israeli corporations have venture capital arms to fund innovative startups (Intel Capital). Furthermore, platforms like AngelList allow startups to find potential angel investors who can finance them at early stages.
It has always been important for all business owners to seek strategic partnerships. As an entrepreneur, you should seek companies investing or collaborating with startups.
Supportive Financial Services
Israel is an attractive place for entrepreneurs that actively supports startups and offers various financial support for them. As a business owner, you can apply for bank loans, venture debt, and government-backed loans.
Bank loans meet the specific needs of startups, offering money for covering equipment purchases, rent, and other business expenses. With venture debt, innovators can get liquidity between equity funding rounds. Furthermore, business owners can get loans, grants, and subsidies on favorable terms from government initiatives, such as the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA), the Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation, and others.
For example, now, in the time of war with Hamas, the Israel Innovation Authority has provided financing for more than 100 startups that have met difficulties posed by the war situation.
Success Stories
Israel has many stories about the successes of its companies. The country actively supports startups, helping them become large and influential businesses.
One of the best examples of Israel’s help to entrepreneurs is the Waze company, which started its adventure in 2006 as Free-Map Israel. This free community-driven navigation app was founded by Israeli trio Ehud Shabtai, Amir Shinar, and Uri Levine and now helps users avoid traffic by gathering their locations via GPS signals and directing them to less crowded routes. The mobile application considers traffic jams, accidents, speed traps, and other obstacles.
Waze successfully got financing from venture capital firms through multiple rounds. In 2011, it raised $30 million in a funding round led by Horizons Ventures and Kleiner Perkins. In June 2013, Google acquired Waze for around $1.1 billion and integrated its real-time traffic data into its mapping services. It helped Waze enhance the overall accuracy of navigation information. Now, the company continues to operate within Google and innovate and introduce new features and partnerships with local businesses in Israel.
Financial Institutions and Growth
Israel is well-known for the success of its startups and an excellent environment for opening a business. The strong support from the country’s financial institutions is one of the key factors impacting this situation. For years, banks and other organizations have been playing an essential role in developing entrepreneurship in the country. Various financial institutions provide funding, resources, and expertise to newly appeared companies. They help small businesses survive and get more investors and partners by offering different financial instruments. In addition to this, the government provides various loan options for the needs of new companies.
To protect businesses from risks, financial institutions offer numerous tools to provide more safety to investors, such as insurance, trade finance, etc. Thus, if any unforeseen costs occur, people can apply for cash advance loans. Most lenders provide these loans within one business day, making them an excellent solution for everyone needing urgent cash. The main advantage of this borrowing option is that cash advance loans are available even for poor or bad credit borrowers.
Economic Impact
Israel’s startup ecosystem has a positive impact on the country’s economy and contributes to job creation, economic growth, and competitiveness. The more startups in the country, the more jobs for the country’s citizens they create. In various areas, companies need different specialists. Businesses also boost the country’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and bring income to the country by exporting their products to global markets.
Active supporting startups in sectors like cybersecurity, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning attract numerous foreign direct investments to the country. It has positioned Israel as a global technological leader, enhancing its competitiveness on the worldwide stage.
Conclusion
Financial institutions play a significant role in supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. They act as primary sources of funding for startups. Banks and other financial organizations facilitate access to capital markets for startups, provide advisory services, and connect startups with potential investors and partners. All their efforts have made Israel a global leader in technology and innovation.
