Following the start of the Israel-Hamas war, Start-Up National Central initiated a new venture called No Matter What, which aims to unify all the existing assistance options being offered for Israel startups including financing. The venture was set up in collaboration with the Israel Innovation Authority, Iron Nation, and Arieli Capital.
Start-Up Nation Central CEO Avi Hasson tells “Globes, “Already in the first days of the war we understood that we must help Israel’s high-tech industry continue to function, no matter what. We conducted a survey of the needs among a number of startups, and unsurprisingly we discovered that they need help mainly on the financing side. In addition, we received requests for professional connections. Consequently, we built the proposal for our project.”
Hasson adds, “The project makes available to each company all the help options that exist for it. We know how to explain to them which program will be available, and how. If the company needs financing, we know how to lay before them all the open options to it, and also connect it to Israeli or foreign funds that are relevant to it.
“Instead of every startup starting to study the small details of each and every plan, we do it for them. We have a program with professional consultants and available personnel resources, and we save them time and a lot of energy, for example, in looking for a business connection or connecting with customers. Your ability to know that there is a case manager who is accessible for you, and connects you to all the relevant parties, is significant.”
We have approached dozens of investors
At the same time, the project is working on creating new financing channels through funds, beyond the dedicated emergency funds that have been set up. “We have approached dozens of investors, and we are working all the time to refine it, and to add new money,” says Hasson.
“We want to strengthen the activities of multinational companies, and preserve Israel’s relevance as a technological hub. So far we have already dealt with 350 startups, and we can handle another 1,000.”
Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on November 22, 2023.
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