The Israel Advanced Technology Industries Association (IATI), led by Karin Mayer Rubinstein, CEO and President of the association, held for the first time an important and unique strategic meeting that brought together leading venture capital funds and investment entities in Israel with the forum of foreign ambassadors and attachés in Israel, led by the association.

The meeting took place during a sensitive and complex period for the State of Israel and the local high-tech industry, against the backdrop of the security reality of recent years, global economic challenges, and the understanding that precisely now, strengthening the international ties of Israeli industry is of great importance. The purpose of the meeting was to create direct familiarity between senior representatives of venture capital funds and investment entities in Israel and ambassadors, economic attachés, and foreign diplomatic representatives operating in Israel, in order to expose them to the strength of the Israeli ecosystem, the innovation and technologies being developed here, and the business opportunities that exist in the local market.

Through the connection between the diplomatic system and the worlds of investment and high-tech, the Israel Advanced Technology Industries Association (IATI) seeks to help deepen economic cooperation, strengthen the confidence of foreign investors, and continue driving investment into Israel, while also creating new connections between Israeli companies and technologies and international markets and stakeholders.

As part of the meeting, discussions were held on the resilience of the Israeli high-tech industry, global investment trends, the field of artificial intelligence, and investment opportunities in Israel in a rapidly changing world. The discussions were led by senior figures from the high-tech industry, the investment sector, and the diplomatic system. Eden Bar Tal, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attended on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to offer remarks, alongside Shlomo Dovrat, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Viola Ventures; Prof. Yoav Shoham, Co-Founder of AI21 Labs; Eyal Niv, Managing Partner at Pitango; and Ronen Nir, Managing Director at PSG.

The meeting was held at the offices of Arnon, Tadmor-Levy in Tel Aviv, with the participation of approximately 100 managing partners from leading venture capital funds, ambassadors, economic attachés, and diplomatic representatives from foreign embassies in Israel, including the Ambassador of India, the Ambassador of China, the Ambassador of Austria, the Ambassador of Japan, the Ambassador of Singapore, and others.

Karin Mayer Rubinstein, CEO and President of the Israel Advanced Technology Industries Association (IATI): “At a time when the State of Israel and the Israeli high-tech industry are facing complex challenges on the security, economic, and international fronts, strengthening the connections between the Israeli ecosystem and the international community is more important than ever. The meeting we held for the first time between Israel’s leading venture capital funds and investment entities and the forum of foreign ambassadors and attachés in Israel was designed to create genuine connections between the worlds of investment, innovation, and the diplomatic system, and to provide a close look at the strength, creativity, and resilience of the Israeli high-tech industry.

The association under my leadership works continuously to strengthen Israel’s position as a global innovation hub, deepen international cooperation, and reinforce the confidence of foreign investors in Israel. Especially during this period, it is important for us to continue telling the world the story of Israeli high-tech, the technologies being built here, and the business and investment opportunities that exist in Israel. The connection between diplomatic representatives and senior figures from the investment and high-tech industries is an integral part of the ability to continue attracting investment, creating collaborations, and strengthening the Israeli economy in the years ahead.”

In the photos: Credit: Guy Yehieli

• From right: Shlomo Dovrat, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Viola Ventures; in the center: Eden Bar Tal, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; from left: Karin Mayer Rubinstein, CEO and President of the Israel Advanced Technology Industries Association (IATI). 

• From right: Ambassador of Japan, ARAI Yusuke, alongside Ambassador of Singapore, Ian Mak; in the center: Karin Mayer Rubinstein, CEO and President of the Israel Advanced Technology Industries Association (IATI); from left: Ambassador of South Korea, Park Inho

About the Israel Advanced Technology Industries Association (IATI): The umbrella organization of Israel’s high-tech, life sciences, and other advanced technology industries, working to foster business certainty and stability that will advance the country’s tech industries and contribute to national resilience and inclusive economic growth, strengthening Israel’s position as a global innovation leader.

Our activity to achieve these goals focuses on connecting the industry’s leading players and voicing their shared position before decision-makers in the public sector, while leading broad, capital-intensive strategic processes together with industry leaders, the Government of Israel, and the IDF.

This article was written in cooperation with IATI