One of Israel's top technology executives expressed optimism about the future of Israel's high-tech industry in a surprisingly upbeat report amid the ongoing war between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas.
Dr. Avi Hassoun, founder Israel Innovation Authority And CEO at Startup Nation CentralHe said he was optimistic about the Israeli technology sector despite the enormous challenges caused by the war against Hamas in Gaza and the controversy that preceded it over judicial reform.
“I am less worried today than I was during the period of judicial reform,” he said. He said“Because in the end, more than anything else, our most important asset is human capital. Israel is a center for human infrastructure and entrepreneurship, with a unique environment, which makes it suitable for building startups.”
Hasson admitted that he was concerned that many Israeli high-tech entrepreneurs would leave the country when the war began.
“This was the first time I was really afraid that people would leave the country. CEOs of multinational companies at the time told me that they had never received so many requests to move. Now the tables have turned, and the trend has fallen off the agenda: many of them, who Just a few months ago, they prepared their foreign passports and registered their companies abroad, and today they are in a state of mind that says: “We stay and fight, we stay,” Hassoun stated.
“So, by the way, I bet that soon we will see more and more people who work in high technology entering politics,” he added.
While Hasson emphasized the need to avoid war whenever possible, he also highlighted the fact that states involved in conflicts often drive technological progress, which ultimately benefits civil society.
“There is another important element: war produces ideas and innovation. Technologies that have been developed, perfected and tested in war can be transferred to picking peppers, for example. And I say: just as a ‘baby boom’ always happens after wars,” Hassoun predicted, “we will see a big change here.”
Israel's high-tech sector, known globally as Startup Nation, has its origins in military technological advancement. For example, Israel actually became a leader in military drone technology in the early 1980s, during the First Lebanon War. Today, the use of drones is increasingly entering the civilian sector in Israel and abroad.
Global high-tech companies seem to share Hasson's optimism about startup nation.
Nearly 60% of multinational companies expressed confidence in the Israeli technology sector despite the war between Israel and Hamas, according to an Ernst & Young poll published in early February. Only 10% of international companies expected that the war in Gaza would have serious negative consequences on their operations in Israel.
Professor Yossi Matias, CEO of the Google Research and Development Center, expressed optimism about the future of the Israeli technology sector.
He added: “Looking forward to the year 2024, despite the difficult period, part of our basic role is to be optimistic because some of us influence what will happen in the future, and I allow myself to be optimistic despite the difficulties and despite what we are going through.” And experience,” Matthias advertiser.
Following the Hamas invasion and massacre of more than 1,200 Israelis on October 7, Israel mobilized more than 300,000 reserve forces within approximately 48 hours. Many of these reservists play a prominent role in Israel's technology sector, which suffered when they temporarily left their companies and joined the Israeli army on the front lines.
However, tens of thousands of these reservists have since returned to civilian life and rejoined their companies.
