Eldan To OIW: Key To Israel’s Startup Success “Not Being Afraid To Take Chances”

October 19, 2016 | Speaking at Oslo Innovation Week (OIW), a five-day event bringing together startups, established companies, government organizations and investors, Anya Eldan, the GM of Early Stage Companies and Incubators at Israel’s Office of the Chief Scientist and one of the leading women in Israel’s innovation ecosystem, explained how Israel, a small country, is competing with much larger ones. “We are very innovative and entrepreneurial,” Eldan told the large gathering. “We have about 1,000 new startups each year and about 7,000 operational at any given time – with a very large venture capital industry. Eldan believes the growth and global attraction of Israeli businesses has a lot to do with not being afraid to fail. She and the government encourage entrepreneurs to not shy away from it. “We as a government should encourage people in every sector to take chances, that is what innovation is all about. Also, one of the most important contributions a successful entrepreneur can make is to help others – and one thing we see a lot in Israel is the mentoring network.”