10,000 people from 80 countries are expected in Jerusalem on Feb 1st at the 4th annual OurCrowd Global Investor Summit; Ambassador Yoram Ettinger gives a very upbeat end of year state of the Israeli economy; Israel’s Ministry for the Development of the Negev and Galilee is investing $25.5 million towards 45 co-working tech hubs in the peripheral regions, and much more.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Israel’s largest investors’ conference

10,000 people from 80 countries are expected in Jerusalem on 1st Feb at the 4th annual OurCrowd Global Investor Summit. They include 300 startups, 200 Venture Capitalists and 250 multinationals plus entrepreneurs, investors, government officials and the press.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/ourcrowd-to-hold-international-conference-in-jerusalem-in-february/

Great end of year report

Ambassador Yoram Ettinger gives a very upbeat end of year state of the Israeli economy. It includes Israel’s progress since 1987 from the new book “Israel – Island of Success” by Dr Adam Reuter and Noga Kainan.  http://theettingerreport.com/Overseas-Investments/Israel—Island-of-Success.aspx

Plan for 45 regional co-working hubs

The Israeli Ministry for the Development of the Negev and Galilee is investing $25.5 million (NIS 90 million) in the establishment of 45 co-working tech hubs in Israel’s peripheral regions. The ministry said they expect all 45 to be operational by the third quarter of 2018.

https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3727609,00.html

20% increase in Christmas pilgrims to Israel

Israel has broken all previous records for incoming tourism, and are set to end 2017 with 3.6 million tourists – half a million more than the previous record. It includes a 20% increase over the 120,000 Christian pilgrims who visited in Dec 2016.

http://www.jpost.com/Christian-News/Record-breaking-20-percent-increase-in-Christmas-pilgrims-to-Israel-expected-518584  http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-record-36m-tourists-visit-israel-in-2017-1001217309

A $1.4 billion upgrade for Ben Gurion airport

The Israel Airports Authority has announced a $1.43 billion plan to upgrade Israel’s main Ben Gurion airport to cope with an anticipated 50% increase in passenger turnover within the next five years. The airport exceeded 20 million passengers in 2017 – 18% up on 2016.

http://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3728188,00.html

Conference promotes profit and positive social impact

I reported previously (here) on TechForGood, an Israel-based startup accelerator, that organized the Scaling Social-Tech conference – to promote the idea that companies can prioritize socially conscious goals and still be profitable.

http://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3727626,00.html

A Chinese-German-Israeli biotech incubator

Explore Bio is a new incubator for Israeli biotech startups that will launch in 2018. Its parents are Merck Serona (a subsidiary of Germany’s Merck KGaA), in partnership with Shanghai’s WuXi AppTec.  https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3728114,00.html

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