Inter-Governmental Cooperation Delivers Over 100M Shekels Invested in 9 New Innovation Centers Nationwide

In an unprecedented collaborative effort, the Israel Innovation Authority recently announced that several key government ministries have joined forces to invest over NIS 100 million in the establishment of nine new regional innovation centers across Israel.

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 united with the Israel Innovation Authority to launch the comprehensive initiative aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and promoting the high-tech industry in Israel’s periphery, from the north to the south of the country. 

As part of the program, a competitive process was undertaken to select nine locations, encompassing a range of Israeli and international corporations, investors, regional clusters, and associations. These entities will operate the innovation centers, with the overarching goal of encouraging the emergence and growth of new startups with strong regional ties, advancing high-tech employment in the selected areas. 

The hubs will focus on key areas within the high-tech sector, leveraging Israel’s immense global potential while harnessing the relative advantages of the respective regions. These areas include innovative technologies in Agri-tech, Foodtech, renewable energy, green construction, water technologies, Climate-tech, and Health-tech. 

The hubs will collaborate with local entities to stimulate economic growth in the selected regions, fostering synergy among various entities operating in the same area and maximizing existing assets. Each hub will receive an accumulated grant of up to NIS 15 million over a five-year period. 

The selected innovation centers will undertake initiatives such as technological entrepreneurship, acceleration of local projects, attraction of new employers in the high-tech sector, promotion of high-quality employment through practical training, internships, and more. Additionally, the centers will support the creation of a supportive environment for new ventures, collaborating with local players, including local farmers, companies, academia, research institutions, local authorities, existing industries, investors, and others. All these efforts are aimed at encouraging high-tech growth in the selected regions for the benefit of local residents, creating flagship companies and high-tech employment. 

The nine innovation hubs 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. 

Selected hubs: 

• Galileo Studio Ventures: Chosen to operate a new innovation center with an emphasis on AgriTech and FoodTech in the Eastern Galilee and Golan. Partners for the establishment of the center include the Innovation Association, the Migal Institute, and JVP. 
• SeaNovation Eilat: Selected to operate an innovation center in the Eilat-Eilot region, focusing on Biotechnology and Marine Agriculture. Partners for the establishment of the center 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: Chosen to operate a new innovation center in the Western Galilee, with an emphasis on Green Construction Technologies and the Built Environment. Partners for the center include Impulse Partners, the Swiss Venture Capital Fund SHIBUMI, the Israeli Baran Engineering Group, and the Bahraini COMM.UNITY. 
• Northern Climate Synergy: Selected to operate an innovation center in the Kinneret, Golan, and Emek region, focusing on AgriTech, water, climate, and Artificial Intelligence. Partners for the center include the Kinneret Innovation Center (KIC), KKL, the Shmier Research Institute, and the Innovalley Innovation Center in the Emek Hamaayanot. 
• Techlinic: Chosen to operate an innovation center in East Jerusalem, with an emphasis on Health Technologies. Partners for the center include Techlinic, the Scientific Subsidiary of Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Sheba ARC (Sheba Medical Center’s innovation center), and the Tkuva Risk Capital Foundation, in collaboration with Azrieli College of Engineering, SigmaLabs, and Hadassah Hospital. 
• DAROM Innovation Center: Selected to operate an innovation center in the Eastern Negev, with a focus on Renewable Energy Technologies and Advanced Industry. Partners for the center include INSIDE OUTSOURCING, Restart, the Israel Aviation Industry, Doral Hydrogen, and Sonol Israel. 
• Technological Center for Security and Resilience in the Western Negev: Chosen to operate a center in the Gaza border region and the Western Negev, focusing on National Security (Homeland Security) and Nutritional Resilience. Partners for the center include Southup Center, the Western Negev Cluster Association, the Sderot Foundation for Development, Or Movement, and Sapir College. 
• DesertTech and Climate Innovation Center: Selected to operate an innovation center in Be’er Sheva and the Negev and Arava region, to advance Climate Technologies and Desert Agriculture. Partners for the center 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: Chosen to operate an innovation center in the Judea and Samaria region. Partners for the center include Ariel University, Ariel Scientific Knowledge Company, International Software Company TSG (EPR) with Formula Systems, and the Israeli Air Industry.