Afternoon Tea in Jerusalem Blog

In addition to my work as a business coach, one of my interests is blogging about life in Israel. This is a country full of contrasts – over eight million citizens living in an area the size of Wales. You can see snow and the lowest place on the globe in the same day. Although surrounded by geopolitical extremes, Israel has achieved a decade of high economic growth. My work brings me in contact with an array of new companies, exciting technologies and dynamic characters. Sitting back with a relaxing cup of strong tea (with milk), you realise just how much there is to appreciate in the Holyland. Large or small operations, private sector or non profit, my clients provide experiences from which others can learn and benefit.

I strongly urge you to read about the “21 coolest tech start ups in Israel“. This is not an isolated item. For example, “27 Israeli companies are included on this year’s Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA list, a ranking of the 500 fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and energy tech companies in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.”

Whichever way you split, Israel remains that much talked about ‘start up nation’. But why?

We all know that economic or commercial success comes in waves. Israel’s change of fortune can be traced back to the mid 1980s, which is now a full generation ago. In that time, Israel has gone through two Intifadas, fought several campaigns on its borders, and survived at least two global turndowns. Despite that, GDP growth – based partially on high-tech performance – is predicted to come in at around 3% or more for 2016 and 2017, one of the better performers within the OECD group.

However useful this information is, it does not explain the culture of innovation in Israel. What is it that enables Israelis to see through established markets and then go on to create a disruptive technology? Discussions over the influence of the army etc are well documented on google. I will base my answer on a true story, emerging from within my own family.

My son has just started university. Not an outstanding student at school and after his obligatory stint in the army, followed by a tour around South America, he appeared to settle down to his first year of studies at university. Then, out of the blue, he asked me if I knew of a certain application that allows you to present new ideas to investors. And that was our first inkling that something was bubbling.

The next thing we know is that he applied to be considered for an accelerator. At this point, he shared his concept with us. Where had it come from? It was an area of commerce for which he had – to my knowledge – minimal experience. And I was correct, except that his one small, seemingly minor encounter had been enough to prompt him to think.

My son is not a high-tech freak. He has not learnt code. Gadgets are fun, but he does not have to have the latest new mobile every six months. And yet, he has grown up in an environment – school, the home, the army – which has encouraged him to challenge the accepted. He is also a very obstinate young man, as are many Israelis.

And thus, when the accelerator rejected him at the last moment, he pressed ahead. He looked for help from a partner. When his immediate surroundings could not help him out, he turned to Facebook. In particular, he sought out pensioners with the correct experience and who are looking for a new or challenging project in life. My son has since linked up with an individual who has spent a lifetime bring concepts through to commercialisation.

What happens next, we wait to see and learn. Clearly, my son and his generation in Israel has absorbed a culture that allows to do just what Star Trek wanted from us in the 1960s….”to boldly go where no man has gone before”.

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