Israeli High-Tech Delegation Lands In UAE To Foster New Ties

Two months after Israeli and American delegations flew to Abu Dhabi on the first flight direct from Tel Aviv and signed the first formal agreement with the United Arab Emirates, the first Israeli high-tech delegation departed for the Emirates on Sunday to discuss future collaboration and investment opportunities with local ministers and hight-tech entrepreneurs.

The delegation was led by Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) founder and chairman Dr. Erel Margalit and included 13 CEOs of leading Israeli technology companies in fields like cybersecurity, fintech, insurance tech, and food tech.

Among them were Udi Ziv, CEO of Earnix, a Givatayim-based company providing personalized insurance and banking through advanced software and analytics; Asaf Ganot, CEO of ControlUp, an emerging company in the space of remote work networks; Ronen Yehoshua, CEO of Beersheba-based cybersecurity company Morphisec; and Raz Refaeli, CEO of Secret Double Octopus, a cybersecurity company witha vision for a passwordless world.

In the food tech field, Tali Nehushtan, CEO of InnovoPro, a producer of a protein substitute from chickpeas with high nutritional values, and Yehonatan Ben Hamozeg, CEO of Agrint, the developer of technology to identify diseases in trees before they cause damage, also joined the delegation.

Over the next four days, the delegation will hold meetings with senior official and investment counterparts in Dubai and Abu Dhabi “to build cooperation between Israeli and Emirati high-tech, and deepen the newly found relationship between the two countries,” JVP said in an announcement.

They will be joined by David Meidan, entrepreneur and former senior official in the Mossad, and various JVP partners.

The delegation was invited to the Emirates by the DIFC (Dubai International Financial Center), the body that manages the free trade area in the financial heart of Dubai – which is one of the global financial centers.

“High-tech is the locomotive engine that leads the Israeli economy, so we have a key role in leading relations and cooperation with the Emirates, with an emphasis on partnership,” said Dr. Margalit. “I am proud to lead the first Israeli hi-tech delegation to the Emirates. Our companies have been in business contact with the Emirates for a number of years, and now an opportunity has arisen to expand this network of relationships, deepen the ties significantly, and allow more and more Israeli companies and entrepreneurs to be part of this connection and success,” he said.

“This is not just a business opportunity, but a political opportunity for a new page between the Israeli hi-tech community and the entire Middle East. With us in the delegation, are the CEOs of emerging Israeli hi-tech companies from every field, and I am sure we will create real partnerships here that will contribute to building successful Israeli companies that will propel the Israeli economy forward, precisely during this period, and create more and more new jobs,” he added.