Nine Israeli innovation centers receive $28 million investment from government agencies

The Israel Innovation Authority has announced that several Israeli governmental ministries have joined to invest more than NIS 100 million ($27.7 million) in nine new regional innovation centers nationwide. The Ministry of Economy and Industry, the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee, and National Resilience, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry for Regional Cooperation have partnered with the IIA to help foster entrepreneurship and promote the high-tech industry in Israel’s periphery areas.

Each hub will focus on key areas within the high-tech sector and leverage Israel’s global potential while taking advantage of the local advantages of the respective regions. Sectors include Agtech, Foodtech, renewable energy, green construction, water technologies, Climate-tech, and Healthtech. The nine centers were selected after a search including Israeli and international corporations, investors, regional clusters, and associations. The goal is to encourage the establishment and growth of new startups with strong regional ties and help advance employment in the areas.

Dror Bin, CEO at IIA.

Each hub will receive an accumulated grant of up to NIS 15 million ($4.1 million) over five years. They complement the three previously established hubs (NorthMed, Hasoub Labs, and Base Camp) in the Arab sector in 2022, in collaboration with the Israel Innovation Authority and the Ministry of Social Equality.

The selected hubs are as follows:

• Technological Center for Security and Resilience in the Western Negev - which operates in the Gaza Border region and Western Negev. Its focus will be National Security (Homeland Security) and Nutritional Resilience with partners including Southup Center, the Western Negev Cluster Association, the Sderot Foundation for Development, Or Movement, and Sapir College.
• Galileo Studio Ventures - which will focus on AgriTech and FoodTech in Eastern Galilee and Golan. Its partners include the Innovation Association, the Migal Institute, and JVP.
• SeaNovation Eilat - which focuses on Biotechnology and Marine Agriculture. Partners include the Israel Innovation Institute, Aradum Maintenance and Management, Aradg, the Marine and Lakes Research Institute, and the Eilat Campus of Ben Gurion University through BGN Technologies.
• Built Environment Innovation Center - which will operate in the Western Galilee and focus on Green Construction Technologies and the Built Environment. Its partners are Impulse Partners, the Swiss Venture Capital Fund SHIBUMI, and the Israeli Baran Engineering Group.
• Northern Climate Synergy - which is located in the Kinneret, Golan, and Emek region, focusing on AgriTech, water, climate, and AI. Partners include the Kinneret Innovation Center (KIC), KKL, the Shmier Research Institute, and the Innovalley Innovation Center in the Emek Hamaayanot.
• Techlinic - which is in East Jerusalem and has an emphasis on Health Technologies. Partners include the Scientific Subsidiary of Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Sheba ARC (Sheba Medical Center's innovation center), and the Tkuva Risk Capital Foundation
• DAROM Innovation Center - which is in the Eastern Negev and focuses on Renewable Energy and Advanced Industry. Its partners are INSIDE OUTSOURCING, Restart, the Israel Aviation Industry, Doral Hydrogen, and Sonol Israel.
• DesertTech and Climate Innovation Center - which will be in Be'er Sheva and the Negev and Arava region to advance Climate Technologies and Desert Agriculture. Partners include the Miraz Fund, the Israel Innovation Institute, Ingav Heating, and BGN Technologies, the commercialization company of Ben Gurion University, with Netivei Negev as a strategic partner.
• INNOVEASTECH - will be located in the Judea and Samaria region. Partners for the center will include Ariel University, Ariel Scientific Knowledge Company, International Software Company TSG (EPR) with Formula Systems, and the Israeli Air Industry.

"Diversity in technology, in terms of industry, geography, and demographics, is a key component of the Israel Innovation Authority's strategy to strengthen Israeli high-tech competitiveness against other innovation hubs worldwide,” explained Dror Bin, CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority. “The centers selected in the national competitive process among dozens of excellent proposals, and in unprecedented cooperation with various government ministries, will enable the expansion of the entrepreneurship cycle and the employment of high-tech throughout the country and across all sectors, while demonstrating Israeli resilience and the ability to continue innovating, creating new growth engines for the Israeli economy."