Like many other small countries, Israel has implemented well defined scientific and technological policies aimed at enhancing its competitive position. In science, it encourages the establishment of centers of excellence around outstanding scientists, while maintaining a level of quality across the broad spectrum of scientific fields. In technology, Israel strives for high performance through concentration on a limited number of areas. The percentage of Israelis engaged in scientific and technological inquiry, and the amount spent on research and development (R&D), in relation to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), are among the highest in the world.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has classified Israel as one of the leading countries in the world in technological innovation. In the 2008-2009 WEF Global Competitive Index Report, Israel received an overall rank of the 23th most competitive country. The 2008 IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook ranked Israel as the 20th most competitive country in the world.
Further Israeli highlights from the reports include:
- ranked 1st for availability of qualified engineers *
- ranked 1st for total expenditure on R&D *
- ranked 1st for business expenditure on R&D *
- ranked 2nd for venture capital availability *
- ranked 2nd for information technology skills *
- ranked 3rd for Quality of Scientific Research Organizations **
- ranked 3rd for Registered Patents Per Capita **
- ranked 3rd for flexibility and availability of the workforce *
- ranked 4th for higher education achievements *
- ranked 6th for FDI in proportion to its GDP *
- ranked 6th for overall innovation **
* IMD Global Competitiveness Yearbook 2007-2008
** WEF Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009
Israel’s successful track record of market-creation and profit-driving innovations includes:
- M-Systems was the first to offer Disk-on-Key and Disk-on-Chip flash memory products which changed the way people store and handle information.
- The Philips Brilliance CT Scanner, developed in Israel, takes a comprehensive picture of a patient in seconds, instead of minutes, in the emergency
room where every second counts.
- IP Telephony was invented by two Israelis who founded VocalTec.
- ZIP compression technology was developed by two professors at the Technion Israel's Institute of Technology.
- Given Imaging developed the first ingestible video camera to view the small intestine from the inside, and help doctors diagnose cancer and digestive disorders.
- The technology for the AOL Instant Messenger ICQ was developed in 1996 by four young Israelis.
- Comverse invented voice-mail.
- Revolutionizing present day agriculture techniques, Netafim developed modern drip-irrigation technology and Israeli companies continue to lead this field with innovative breakthroughs.
The Singapore-Israel Industrial R&D Foundation (SIIRD) is especially well networked with the industrial sectors of Israel to identify for your firm an appropriate technological partner. SIIRD can also offer co-funding support for collaborative industrial R&D projects, which have technical and commercial merit.
If your company is interested in seeking a technology partner in Israel, you are welcome to complete an R&D Partner Search Form, describing your company's profile and capabilities, as well as the profile of your desired partner. The profile will then be matched with our database so that we can provide you with a list of Israeli firms for your consideration. SIIRD will be pleased to assist you in making the initial contact with your shortlisted firms.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
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