Israeli start-ups set to take Berlin, then the rest of Europe

Next week, five Israeli start-ups will swap their home desks for a coworking space in Berlin, the first group of Israeli companies to take advantage of a new cooperation agreement between Tel Aviv and the German city.

The Israeli firms will be welcomed by no less than the mayor of Berlin himself, Michael Müller. “Berlin and Tel Aviv have a lot in common: Both cities stand for creativity and entrepreneurial spirit,” he said. “They attract young talent and offer the best environment for that talent to make their ideas a reality. I am pleased to welcome the first Israeli entrepreneurs to Berlin and I hope they have fruitful discussions and an exciting time in Berlin.”

The program is the result of an agreement between Berlin Partner and Tel Aviv Global, both city-run projects to help start-ups connect with their counterparts around the world. “This is a really exciting time for both German and Israeli entrepreneurs and start-ups,” said Hila Oren, CEO and founder of Tel Aviv Global. “Tel Aviv is the Start-up City of the Start-up Nation, and we see a huge number of foreign companies looking to be part of the amazingly innovative culture we have here.”

The first five companies to take advantage of the program are the following: Pzartech, a provider of 3D printing services for companies; Join VR Technologies LTD 4.0, a streaming service for virtual reality videos on smartphones; Myndlift, a developer of wearables that measure brainwaves and train the ability to concentrate; Quiccargo, an online marketplace to determine logistics capacities; and Shopeat, a recipe portal with integrated ordering of ingredients via the Internet.

Via the program, said Oren, the Israeli start-ups will have an opportunity to gain a foothold in Europe, and develop businesses that will eventually expand to embrace markets in the rest of the Continent. Berlin Partner is currently in the process of selecting the German companies that will work in Tel Aviv, where they will be exposed to the Israeli tech ecosystem, she added.

The Israeli companies will work at one of three coworking spaces sponsored by Berlin Partner, which is helping fund the program, providing participants with office space, mentors, investor contacts, and other services. In addition, the Israelis will get help in finding housing and navigating Berlin, which in recent years has become an expensive place to live.

“Once they arrive in Berlin, the entrepreneurs will receive a coworking space and intensive consultations about the local start-up ecosystem,” said Dr. Stefan Franzke, a spokesperson for Berlin Partner. “We will also network them with established companies and scientific institutions to find partners for collaboration. Such an exchange of creative people is a real driver for innovation.”

For Jews, and especially Israelis, the issue of the Holocaust is never far behind when the talk turns to Germany. The Germans understand perfectly, according to Andrea Joras, managing director of Berlin Partner. “Young entrepreneurs on both sides acknowledge history, but they do not let it immobilize them. The young entrepreneurs in both cities want to leave a positive mark on the world, and in that they find they have a lot in common.

“When I was a student, I lived in Jerusalem for three years,” said Joras. “My nationality was known to all my Israeli friends, and I do not recall anyone ever bringing up the Holocaust with me. We do not ignore history — we acknowledge it and move on together.”