Nvidia’s mega-campus could transform northern Israel
It is time for the next high-tech campus to be built in the periphery. That is the bottom line, and the sooner, the better. The battle over Nvidia’s new Israeli campus is not just another real estate contest between municipalities and businesspeople. It is a real test of the national vision to reduce social and economic disparities. Will the Israeli government succeed in leveraging one of the most significant economic moves in recent years to drive real change in the periphery, or will it once again allow it to happen in the heart of the central region or its immediate surroundings?
NVIDIA, currently the largest company in the world by market capitalization, is planning to build a new campus in Israel covering up to 120 dunams, and to double its local workforce to 10,000 employees. Beyond development roles, this also means thousands of indirect jobs in transportation, maintenance, catering, and security. A campus of this scale not only improves infrastructure and creates jobs, but can transform the future of entire cities.
Instead of instinctively looking toward familiar high-tech zones in the Sharon region or near Yokneam in the northern center, now is the time to think broadly and, more importantly, think farther. Cities like Migdal HaEmek, Safed, Hatzor HaGlilit, Beit She’an, and even Kiryat Shmona all hold tremendous potential. Yet they have struggled for years with unemployment, population decline, and budget shortages. Not only is there room for high-tech in these cities, but it also has a historical role to play. When it reaches the periphery, it drives economic growth and also brings hope.
Of course, giant companies like Nvidia have clear business considerations: access to skilled workers, proximity to academic institutions, operational costs, and technological infrastructure. The government cannot dictate the location, but it can and should influence the decision’s viability. This is where the government’s role comes in: assembling an aggressive and highly attractive incentive package, including tax benefits, employee grants, exemption from development fees, and housing assistance for those who choose to relocate north. The younger generation that still lives in frontier regions can also be offered a future through the establishment of dedicated preparatory programs that provide rapid training for integration into new industry roles if and when they arrive.
According to media reports, the government was caught off-guard by the tender. Although calls have already been made in the Knesset and in dedicated committees, there is still no clear government plan directing the company toward genuine national priority areas. This is a missed opportunity that must be turned into a real chance. Similar initiatives have proven successful in the past. Intel’s campus in Kiryat Gat transformed the city from a traditional industrial zone into a modern tech hub. The cyber center in Be’er Sheva created a flourishing ecosystem in the south. There is no reason why this cannot also happen in the distant Galilee, especially in a post-war period.
Kiryat Shmona, which was evacuated during the last war and has not yet recovered, with a return rate of around 63 percent and a significant drop in population, is a striking example of a city in urgent need of revitalization. A new, high-quality employment center could provide the oxygen it desperately needs and send a clear message: growth is possible both in the distant north and in the far south.
The government must take the lead, pursue, persuade, and use every tool at its disposal. And even if the effort fails, it must be able to say: We tried, and we will continue to try.
