Manny
It is not about the hardware…but the thinking and philosophy behind how [Israel startups] develop applications and design their base framework, which looks way beyond addressing issues that they have today.
The trip allowed me to appreciate a people’s culture and mindset born of struggles and successes, necessity and persecution, then emerging as one of the leading countries in innovation on multiple fronts.
It was a learning experience beyond what I’ve experienced in the past.
It is not about the hardware nor the software of their startups and infrastructure, but the thinking and philosophy behind how they develop applications and design their base framework, which looks way beyond addressing issues that they have today.
If we can only emulate even just portion of how they think and behave, we can truly be able to transform our ourselves, our company, and our country.
Ginggay
They solve problems with no bureaucracies so it gets done quickly. To be innovative you have to move fast so you can create value and scale over a shorter period of time.
Israel is an amazing tech startup nation (and now, scale-up nation) driven by necessity, diversity, and audacity and built on the power of human capital. They are all about people and dreaming big dreams where there’s no shame in failing. They are about finding a cause that’s bigger than oneself and dedicating your life to that cause. The whole ecosystem is focused on a specific outcome and uses tech and innovation to deliver on that outcome. Both public and private sectors are aligned and unified that roadmaps are so clear and doable. Young people from early on already know their role in society, or what kind of entrepreneur they want to be. Military service helps to truly embed discipline, focus, purpose, and confidence at an early age.
In the Israel startup community, the normal order of the day is to have open and direct conversation, no fluff. It’s about having very candid discussions—you can go right to the point; it’s not about being nice but about solving problems. They solve problems with no bureaucracies so it gets done quickly. To be innovative you have to move fast so you can create value and scale over a shorter period of time.
Innovation is in the blood and DNA of the Israeli people. Data, tech, and innovation are always part of the solutions they use to solve a problem. Their technology is deep tech so it actually works, which is their advantage over many markets. While this made me realize how far behind we are, I also know that this means there is so much opportunity for us if get our act together as a country.
For us as an organization, are we also as audacious in our dream?
Is the Aboitiz techglomerate dream big enough for us?
And what are we really doing to get there?
Are we doing enough? If not, what more do we need to do? What can we bring home from Israel and turn our learnings into action that helps us move the needle, change things for the better, create and provide the best products and services for our customers, that, ultimate, helps us as people and country move forward?
Innovation should be the currency we invest in to change the future for the better. Let’s do it now!
