New Zealand’s innovation mission to Israel
An Innovation Mission to Israel is expected to provide significant benefits for the New Zealand technology and innovation sector.
Sir Peter Gluckman
The Innovation Mission is being organised by the Trans – Tasman Business Circle, and will be led by Simon Moutter, Managing Director of Spark New Zealand. Other business and academic leaders are involved, including the Chief Science Adviser to the New Zealand Government, Sir Peter Gluckman.
Spark New Zealand is involved because it is unashamedly passionate about helping unleash the potential in all New Zealanders.
“Like Israel, New Zealand is a small country, isolated geographically from global markets and with a strong tradition and history of innovation. We are both agile and open economies along with a smart labour workforce, so there is much to learn from each other,” said Mr Moutter.
At a time of increased global interest in centres of innovation such as Silicon Valley, Israel, Berlin among others, the mission will engage with and learn from Israel’s highly successful innovation ecosystem which has earned the country an enviable reputation as the “Start-up Nation”
Israel produces more start-up companies on a per capita basis than Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada, and all of Europe, and, after the United States, Israel has more companies listed on the NASDAQ than any other country in the world.
Mr Moutter said, “The mission is an excellent opportunity for New Zealand business and innovation leaders to collaborate and share ideas and learnings with highly innovative people and organisations, as well as showcase New Zealand’s own digital talent and innovation and potentially attract investment into our rapidly growing technology sector.”
The mission will be organised by the Trans – Tasman Business Circle under its Innovation Circle – launched to coincide with the Australian Government’s Innovation Statement and the longstanding New Zealand Government commitment to fostering innovation and international engagement.
The mission will take place between 29 May and 1 June.
Kol Hakovod to Johnny Weiss and his team for organising this Mission. Even though Trans-Tasman says it all as a platform for combined Australian – New Zealand trade, Johnny Weiss has taken advantage of his connections to promote Israel and the Innovation success story that it is.
I am positive the 30 odd particpants from NZ will return glowing of their trip to Israel