Israel: The startup nation of the world

For such a small country, Israel has the highest number of startups per capita, and is even said by many to be the next Silicon Valley! With approximately 1 startup for every 1,400 people, Israel is most definitely making a noise around the world.

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How has Israel managed to foster and maintain over 6,000 active startups?

Well, Israelis have entrepreneurship running through their veins. A country built on a dream and hard-work, Israelis are resilient visionaries. It is a nation that has fallen many times, and unsurprisingly, has stood back up each time, even stronger. Failure is redefined as feedback rather than a setback, while mistakes are built into the system, creating space for the ups and downs of the creative process.

Israelis know that success takes time, and often, many bumps along the way. But these bumps aren’t a deterrent, rather a newfound motivation to try again- and this time, with new lessons in hand and a new direction to lead the way.

From a young age, Israelis are encouraged to foster their independence. In many places around Israel, children learn how to have fun in creative ways- hiking and out in nature, camping, and exploring on their own. They grow up with a confident independence, and a knack for problem solving.

It may be Israel’s army culture that helps cultivate such a sense of enthusiastic resilience and a zeal for adventure. At the age of 18, most Israelis enter the IDF or some form of national service, often with years of training leading up to enlistment. Motivation and discipline are learned early on, as Israeli youth take on the responsibility of the collective, with a shared common goal.

It is here where Israeli learn the importance of a team, an approach that helps Israeli society flourish in so many areas beyond the army, including the ever-expanding field of startups. Most startups in Israel actually begin among friends who met in the army back in the day, creating some of the strongest bonds possible. There is no individual mentality, as each member of the team knows his place to work towards the greater collective good.

This is why the number of new startups has not only skyrocketed in Israel, but why so many have survived. It is the ambition and motivation that gets them going, and the discipline that keeps them alive. But it is also the shared responsibility and teamwork that allows them to flourish. Team members are part of a unit before they are individuals, which allows for an informality towards authority.

Israeli startup culture doesn’t follow the classic rules of social hierarchy. An intern can share his ideas with the CEO, and the CEO can eat lunch with newcomers. This allows for a shared space of collaboration and a greater flow of creativity. In Israel, the source of the idea doesn’t matter; it is the idea itself that is magic.

Here are some of our favorite and fun- some up and coming and others already well established- Israeli startups to keep tabs on:

1. AccessiBe- a startup designed to help create more web accessibility for those with disabilities and those who struggle to follow the fast-pace nature of an online forum. AccessiBe has created technology to help those with hearing and sight impairments to make the experience a bit more comfortable.

2. Innoviz- this incredibly cool startup develops the technology for the mass-production of autonomous vehicles. One day soon, maybe we won’t need to pass a driver’s license test after all!

3. Fiverr- need a quick job to get done? Hop onto Fiverr, an online marketplace for freelancers of all sorts. You’re sure to find the perfect person in no time, in almost every area of need.

4. DayTwo- Israelis are a healthy bunch, always hiking out in nature with their vegetable filled Israeli meals. DayTwo is a personalized nutrition-based service designed based on your microbiome and personal health parameters!

5. Gett- most don’t know that the taxi service used all around the world is an Israeli creation! Call a taxi and have it arrive within mere minutes, or pre-book one. The perfect platform for business and corporate on the ground travel.

6. Wix- this globally used startup has become a top resource in helping small companies and freelancers to create their own websites and bring their own businesses to an online forum! It has become one of the biggest and most successful Israeli startups.

7. JoyTunes- you’ve always wanted to learn to play an instrument- but it just seems too hard, right? Well, with JoyTunes, learning to play an instrument has just been made simple. Learn, play and experience music in a new way with this innovative Israeli startup!

8. Nanobebe- Israelis are a family-oriented nation, and so developing a new and improved baby-bottle was a no brainer. This baby-bottle is designed to preserve all of the breast-milk’s nutrients while keeping its convenience and ease!

9. Moonactive- with over 100 million downloads in 136 different countries, Moonactive is one of the top mobile-games startup, creating some of the most engaging and fun phone games to keep you occupied and happy in a moment's notice!

10. Minute Media- passionate about sports? Wish there was am all-encompassing platform where you could learn, read, and engage in the world of sports? Welcome to Minute Media, a sports publishing platform designed to create a collage of 6 different global sports brands!

We can't wait to see where Israel will be in the years to come!