Taglit-Birthright Israel launches Innovation Center in Tel Aviv

Taglit-Birthright Israel celebrated Wednesday night the winter season opening of the Birthright Israel Innovation Center in the presence of some 200 business leaders, entrepreneurs and philanthropists.

The center, run in collaboration with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, is designed to showcase Israel's contributions to entrepreneurship, innovation and technology worldwide. Over the summer pilot season, more than 13,000 Birthright Israel participants and dozens of delegations from Israel and around the world visited the center, which features an exhibition highlighting Israel's contribution to agriculture, medicine, cybersecurity, science, transportation and aerospace, along with a series of lectures from successful Israeli entrepreneurs.

Wednesday's launch event was attended by Birthright Israel CEO Gidi Mark, Birthright Israel Excel Chairman and managing partner of EY Israel Yoram Tietz, LeumiTech CEO Yifat Oron, SanDisk engineering fellow Simon Litsyn, Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Vice President of Marketing Igal Bareket, entrepreneur Gil Dvora, Steinhardt Family Foundation Executive Director Tova Dorfman and Schusterman Foundation Israel Director David Gappell, among others.

"Birthright is the greatest startup that was established by the State of Israel and the Jewish people, both in terms of quality and quantity," Mark said at the event. "Before Birthright Israel was founded, 17 years ago, 2,000 students arrived to Israel each year; and through Birthright Israel, nowadays, tens of thousands of young Jews from around the world visit Israel annually.

"Israel is a platform for new beginnings and we are proud to give our participants the opportunity to experience Israel and the startup nation for themselves."

The Innovation Center excepts to welcome more than 45,000 visitors in 2017.