BRUSSELS — “Jerusalem’s ecosystem is a unique asset and an incredible success story,’’ said Socialist Romanian Member of the European Parliament Andi Cristea who co-hosted together with his Liberal Lithuanian colleague MEP Petras Austrevicius, Thursday in the parliament a conference featuring Jerusalem’s high tech in the framework of an enhanced cooperation between the EU and Israel.
The conference titled ‘’Scaling up Jerusalem’s ecosystem to create Europe’s first Google,’’ which coincided with the announcement by the EU Commission of a €100 billion plan to strenghten its science and innovation fund, brought together European parliamentarians, EU Institution policy heads and Jerusalem’s brightest and best high-tech entrepreneurs and venture partners.
With more than 6000 hi-tech companies and start-ups, Israel has the highest concentration of hi-tech companies in the world – apart from the Silicon Valley.
In 2016, Israel spent more money in R&D as a proportion of its economy than any other country. It invests around 4.25% of its GDP in R&D while EU28 invests 1.93%.
Israel leads in various fields such as biotech, agrotech, robotics, softwares, renewable energies, desalinization and many more, which benefit to people all over the world and help us build a sustainable future for our children.
‘’In Israel, grassroots and governmental initiatives to turn hi-tech into a factor for integration and cohesion flourish. The hi-tech sector employs men and women, orthodox Jews and Arabs, Druzes and secular Jews, Ashkenazi and Sefardi, new immigrants from Ethiopia and from Russia,’’ noted Shuli Davidovich, Deputy Head of the Mission of Israel to the European Union in her opening remarks.
The conference was organised by the Jerusalem Development Authority, the Israeli Ministry of Jerusalem and heritage and their partners in Europe the European Jewish Association, Europe Israel Public Affairs, the European Jewish Community Centre and the European Coalition for Israel.
‘It’s time for the politicians to do something they don’t like doing: shut up and let the experts take the lead on this issue,” MEP Petras Austrivicius declared.
Uri Adoni, partner at Jerusalem Venture Partners, one of the main venture capital firms in Israel, which has created and invested $1.3 billion in over 120 companies in Israel, the US and Europe, stressed that most Israeli companies need to expand outside Israel. ‘’We can use our expertise to help Europe expand to the US market,’’ he suggested.
“If you fund the scaling up, we will double it”, said Jerusalem Development Authority CEO Eyal Haimovski on the opening panel;
“If you fund the scaling up, we will double it”, said Jerusalem Development Authority CEO Eyal Haimovski on the opening panel, a way to show that Jerusalem is flourishing, wants to help, and sees the mutual benefits that flow from doing so.
Rabbi Menachem Margolin, the founder of the European Jewish Association and Europe Israel Public Affairs who organised and managed the event in Brussels, said: “There is a clear appetite to co-operate and develop the EU-Israel innovation partnership further, and in particular foster ties going forward with Jerusalem, to learn and, we hope replicate, the city’s great and ongoing successes.’’
“In talking to many of the participants, from the EU and from Israel, the message is clear: No politics, let’s just get this done. Today’s conference was a solid and inspiring start to that process where networks were made, inspiration given and with potential business very much in the offing,’’ he added.