In October, the first trip to Israel took place, organized by the newly formed CSI Business working group of Christians Standing with Israel (CSI), under the leadership of Dr. Ansgar Niehoff. Eight participants on this pioneering trip wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the unique characteristics of Israel as a "startup nation." They experienced a packed and inspiring program.
By Dr. Ansgar Niehoff
Where does one even begin to tell the story of having had around 30 meetings with representatives from a wide variety of industries in just five days in Israel? I'll try to go into chronological order, but I'll probably find that there isn't enough space here.
After all participants had arrived on Sunday, we met for a typical Israeli dinner in a lively neighborhood of Tel Aviv. This provided a perfect start to the trip, allowing everyone to get to know each other in a relaxed atmosphere.
The next day was supposed to be the real start. We had deliberately chosen our hotel on Rothschild Boulevard; this put us right in the heart of Tel Aviv's startup and innovation scene. A short walk on Monday morning and we found ourselves at Startup Nation Central (SNC). This is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that, following the publication of the bestseller "Start-up Nation" by Dan Senor and Saul Singer, has made it its mission to promote Israel as a startup nation worldwide. The aim is to build bridges even to countries that, while not yet having diplomatic relations with Israel, are interested in its innovations and inventions.
At SNC we were warmly welcomed by Alon Turkaspa, who gave us a very personal and realistic account of how Israel has developed into a global center for high-tech startups, and how it was able to maintain its position at the top of the world despite the two-year war – and in some cases even achieve the greatest successes in its history.
After these fascinating insights, it was time to get to know individual startups directly. For this purpose, we invited representatives from two startups as well as the founder of the largest Facebook community for volunteering after October 7th.
Inspiring encounters with startups and founders in a series
Jonathan and Bat-Chen began by presenting how they can produce green steel without CO2 emissions. Their original idea was even to extract oxygen from lunar rocks on the moon using a special process. It's hard to imagine a grander vision – the group was deeply impressed.
Matan's startup concept proved to be no less visionary, albeit still in its early stages of development. It involves a highly sustainable method for producing key chemicals. This example clearly illustrates what characterizes many startups in Israel: it's not just about innovation and making big money, but often also about making the world a better place ("Tikkun Olam").
Our third encounter was with Yocheved Ruttenberg, who traveled to Israel shortly after Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, carrying several duffel bags filled with relief supplies for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). She also founded a Facebook community with over 40,000 members to provide aid throughout the country—in the south, in the north, and wherever help was needed during the multi-front war in Israel. Her courage and determination earned her the utmost respect and admiration within our group. Personally, it felt to me once again as if the stories of biblical heroes were being continued in contemporary Israel.
These inspiring encounters were literally crowned with a visit to SNC's rooftop terrace. Here, herbs and vegetables grow, which we were able to enjoy for lunch on the ground floor at the Asif Culinary Institute.
Quite spontaneously, two Israelis from my network joined us. First, Chaya, who had made Aliyah from South Africa and had just finished her service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the communications unit. She now volunteers to help defense and armaments startups develop exactly what the IDF needs. Second, Inbal told us about her work on a business guide for German-Israeli business relations. So much concentrated inspiration – and that was only the first half of the day!
Touching encounters
In the afternoon, we took the new subway to Hostage Square. There, CSI Chairman Luca Hezel gave us a moving introduction to the history and significance of the square. Afterwards, we had the opportunity to explore the site and its exhibits for ourselves and to empathize with the suffering of the hostages' families.
During rush hour in Tel Aviv, we took a taxi to the Peres Center for Peace & Innovation, where a fascinating journey into the history of Shimon Peres and his vision of grand dreams and innovation awaited us. The day culminated in a dinner right on the beach in Jaffa, next to the Peres Center. This meal was a celebration with Israeli and German guests who had immigrated to Israel. What an atmosphere on the beach – and our hearts and minds filled with the impressions of a truly special day.
Tel Aviv is followed by Jerusalem and southern Israel: one highlight after another.
The following days of the first CSI business trip continued in the same eventful and inspiring fashion. The very next day, Jerusalem was on the agenda. In the morning, we visited the three most important organizations that had been working for the Land of Israel and the Jewish people worldwide even before the founding of the state: the Jewish Agency, Keren Hayesod, and KKL (Jewish National Fund).
Then we continued on to OurCrowd, the world's largest platform for startup investments, where small private investors can participate. OurCrowd is headquartered in the heart of Jerusalem. There, we experienced firsthand how Jerusalem is a source of spiritual blessing as well as the blessing of new inventions and startups. Of course, an inspiring tour of Jerusalem's Old City and a very special dinner practically on the rooftops of Jerusalem, again with unique Israeli guests, were also part of the experience. There's so much more to tell!
The last full day of our trip took us to the south – a region of Israel where unimaginable suffering and hope lie so close together. As a small symbol of hope, we were able to plant young trees and, at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, heard both harrowing accounts of the events of October 7th and the story of a local startup that produces sustainable insulation from natural fibers. What resilience and what courage!
What remains of the journey?
The participants returned to Germany enriched by many exciting encounters, fascinating insights, and a wealth of new ideas. We witnessed new bridges being built. At CSI Business, we are delighted by this strengthening of German-Israeli (business) relations and are eagerly planning the next trip to Israel for entrepreneurs, executives, and young professionals. There is still so much to discover and share!
I am firmly convinced that no trip can be as life-changing as a trip to Israel – now more than ever. This also applies on a business and professional level. As a vice president of Philips' medical division once aptly summarized: "In two days in Israel, I saw more opportunities than in a year in the rest of the world."
Our tour participants were also deeply impressed:
Trust is the foundation of business:
“The CSI business trip was a truly exceptional experience. We immersed ourselves in a unique ecosystem. I arrived with the goal of understanding what these special features are and how to build upon them. We saw just how densely populated the scene is in Tel Aviv. People meet in person and build relationships of trust. Brian Wallace explained that he brings together the right people so they can immediately enter the business – idea generators, investors, people with knowledge of regulatory frameworks, and government officials. The foundation is a basis of trust, clearly rooted in the connection to Israel. We experienced how our guests welcomed us into this trust. Many thanks to Ansgar, Luca, and Roger, who paved the way.”
(Dr. Heinrich Spiecker, Head of Advanced Development at a biotech company)
Entrepreneurial spirit everywhere:
“The first CSI Business trip was a complete and inspiring success for me. The multifaceted nature and entrepreneurial spirit of Israel, already familiar to many of us, were palpable everywhere and left a lasting impression. Meeting Israeli entrepreneurs from all sectors gave us deep insights into the visions and approaches of a nation that, even after the watershed of October 7, 2023, has admirably retained its capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship. The visit to the south of the country, for example to Kibbutz Kfar Aza or the Nova Festival memorial, was particularly moving.”
(Barbara Müller, Executive at Deutsche Bahn)
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This article first appeared in our newspaper "Israelaktuell," issue 143. You can order the newspaper here . We would also be happy to send you several copies for distribution.
