"Tech leaders should make the world a better place"

"The tech sector does not exist in a bubble. We have to pay attention to the world around us and address the painful issues, the big issues, of humanity and planet earth – from the state of democracy to the climate crisis, because we cannot just leave it in the hands of politicians," said Calcalist publisher Yoel Esteron, speaking on Tuesday at the opening of the Mind the Tech NY 2021 conference being held in New York. "If we wish to use technology to make the world better, we cannot focus on technology and leave politics to politicians. This is not just a noble, generous thought. Bad politics is bad for business, and crippled democracy is bad for the economy. Inequality is bad for growth, and the tech sector needs the world around its hubs to grow and flourish."

Esteron also addressed in his comments the challenges overcome by the tech sector during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to its amazing growth. "It was a challenging year-and-a-half for everybody, but when we talk about the Israeli tech sector, it is safe to say we managed to beat Covid-19. It is even more remarkable when you consider the long dark period of political instability in Israel with a dysfunctional government threatening to cripple democracy.

"The Israeli tech sector has racked up incredible achievements in the form of funding rounds and IPOs. More than a dozen new unicorns were born this year; most of them are here today."