What’s buzzing in Israel right now?

Well I guess this is hello! My name’s Danny Davies, and I’m the editor of a blog that reviews online start-ups, slap bang in the middle of the Start-Up Nation.

I moved to Tel Aviv a year ago from jolly old England, fresh out of law school, in search of something exciting and fulfilling to do with my year out before diving into the wide world of work.

I had heard vague rumblings about Tel Aviv being the city to be in; that there was a lot of start-up activity going on there (as well as statements of the obvious about the weather, lack of sleep etc!). What would actually greet me however, was far beyond what I possibly could have imagined.

Israeli start-up map that went viral in Israel recently!

You see the sea of blue dots probably now hurting your eyes in the picture above? Well every single one is a buzzing, growing start-up that joined the swarm of literally thousands engulfing the ten mile stretch of Israel between the Mediterranean Sea and that dotted “green” line.

And you really do feel that buzz from the inside. Yogev Shelly, co-founder of TinyTap – an innovative iPad app that allows kids to actually create their own educational games (brilliant, right?) – explained to me last week one of the best things about starting up in Israel:

“You’re just surrounded at all times by talented, experienced, and well connected people who genuinely want to – and do – help you… Sometimes without even knowing you!”

Any wonder then that, just this week, one rapidly growing social media start-up called Buffer – previously based in Silicon Valley and Hong Kong – decided to up sticks and take up residence with the rest of us crazy Tel Aviv Internet pioneers?

Being the lucky boy that I am, I was parachuted – with the help of the fantastic graduate internship program Career Israel – right into the swarm last September. I’ve spent the past year reviewing the most interesting websites and best apps among them.

Now the reason I’m joining you guys on the Times of Israel is because I decided that most people hear about Israel being the “Start-Up Nation”, but equally have no idea that the cool app they’ve been playing with on their iPhone, or that website they check into every week, is actually working straight out of an office in Tel Aviv.

And that’s where I – and All My Faves – can help! Over the coming weeks and months I’m going to use this platform to give you a view from the inside – not from someone’s PR team – about what’s buzzing right now in this magical, ‘Online Start-Up Nation’ of ours.

Peace out for now!