North Israel tech community unites to prepare for post war revival
Erel Margalit: “The high-tech visionaries in Galilee serve as the bridge to reintroducing stability and prosperity to the north”
Over 70 high-tech startups gathered on Tuesday in the conflict-torn Upper Galilee, signaling a potential revival for Israel's northern region despite the standstill imposed by ongoing hostilities since the October 7 atrocities. The gathering, which was attended by major investors including JVP, Iron Nation, Deloitte Catalyst, Intel Ignite, and Invidia, highlighted a united effort to bolster investments and provide immediate aid for the Galilee's resurgence.
The protracted conflict, which erupted on October 7 and led to the mass evacuation of northern residents - following the entry of the Hezbollah terrorist organization into the campaign through bombings from Lebanon - poses a grave threat to the existence of the Galilee's burgeoning high-tech sector. Acknowledging this pressing concern, industry leaders converged at Kibbutz Mahanaim to extend support, explore investment prospects, and express unwavering solidarity with the region's embattled startups.
The palpable unity witnessed underscores the tech community's unwavering commitment to Galilee's rejuvenation. This collective call to action energizes efforts to reconstruct and rejuvenate the area, reaffirming a steadfast vow to drive economic growth and innovation in 2024 and beyond, thereby securing a resilient and prosperous future for the Galilee.
Spearheaded by entrepreneur and investor Erel Margalit, Chairman and Founder of JVP and Margalit Startup City Galilee, the event signaled a pivotal moment in the region's journey towards recovery and renewal. "The high-tech visionaries in Galilee serve as the bridge to reintroducing stability and prosperity to the north”, said Margalit. “If Israel fails to make decisive choices regarding military engagements, such as those in Lebanon, it will likewise falter in its ability to orchestrate a return to order here in the north and bring our people back home. This endeavor is no less a victory than one achieved through military means. You, the entrepreneurs of this region, are the bridge to slowly begin to bring the return to the north."
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Professor Amir Yaron, Bank of Israel Governor, said, "Since the war, the hi-tech sector has faced a significant economic challenge, yet it once again proves its substantial contribution to economic prosperity. There is a national obligation to continue acting to restore economic activity in the southern and northern regions of the country".
Giora Zaltz, Chairman of the Upper Galilee Regional Council, said, "The path to the conflict's resolution will dictate residents' return, as well as the north's future trajectory. I pledge that within two years, we will not have merely 70 startups, but 170 thriving ones in our region."
Dror Bin, CEO of the Innovation Authority, said, "Israeli high-tech cannot rely solely on the urban powerhouses of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The groundbreaking initiatives unfolding in Galilee are exceptional, and we stand ready to pledge our unwavering support every step of the way."
Major General (Res.) Giora Inbar, said, "The government's decision to evacuate residents from the north was a grave misstep. Throughout history, the demarcation of our borders has been consistently determined by the plow - a modern plow, you are. It is the civil society, the exceptional generation, that will provide us with national resilience far more effectively than the mere presence of tanks and planes."
