"Israeli companies have many opportunities in the US"
Galit Meyran, CEO of the Israel-America Chamber of Commerce, was speaking at a panel held as part of the Calcalist and Discount Global Economy Conference. Yong Xin Tian, Consul at the Singapore Embassy: "Singapore is the best place for Israeli companies that want to expand into Asia."
Global Economy Conference
(Yariv Katz)
"America is the land of possibilities, and there are many opportunities for Israeli companies with new technologies," said Galit Meyran, CEO of the Israel-America Chamber of Commerce, at a panel held as part of the Calcalist and Discount Global Economy Conference.
The panel was moderated by Liron Attias, Deputy Director and Head of Investment, Business and Trade at the British Embassy and CEO of IWB (Innovation Without Borders). Also participating were Yong Xin Tian, Consul at the Embassy of Singapore, and Christian Bedford, Counsellor (Commercial) and Senior Trade Commissioner at the Embassy of Canada.
According to Meyran, the most significant opportunities for Israeli companies in the U.S. are in the field of AI, and specifically AI cybersecurity. "We have several startups in Israel in this field," she said. "All international companies are investing billions in AI security." She added that AI is also creating opportunities in the energy sector.
Yong Xin Tian, from your perspective, why should Israeli companies turn to Asia?
"Numbers. Half the world lives in Asia, and some of the largest economies are there, China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. They are also countries that want a more modern economy. They want advanced agriculture, robotics to improve production, and health tech. Maybe Asia seems complicated for Israeli companies, but Singapore is the best place for Israeli companies to expand into Asia. Monday.com opened an office in Singapore last month, as did eToro, and both are run by Israelis."
Christian, what opportunities does Canada offer Israeli companies?
Bedford: "The environment in Canada is supportive. There are strong technology hubs for startups and a broad range of sectors, AI, fintech, health tech. There are leading technology universities, and there are also specialized areas such as ocean technology. In Western Canada, there is energy and green tech. Therefore, there are plenty of opportunities in these fields for companies working in these areas. We have low operating costs, R&D incentives, and most importantly, a strong talent pool, 63% of academic graduates, which makes Canada very attractive."
How can you support Israeli companies?
"There are seven of us at the embassy working on trade relations between Israel and Canada, and we are supported in Canada by local teams. We are proud of this network, and Canada has a lot to offer. Much of our work revolves around the free trade agreement with Israel, which was renewed in 2019, as well as trade agreements with other economies around the world."
Meyran: "We are an independent organization that works very closely with the U.S. Among our 150 members are Amdocs, Teva, venture capital funds, and many startups."
Yong Xin Tian: "In Singapore, we are a small team, but it is also a small country, and therefore we know everyone. If you want to talk to investors or Israelis working in Singapore, we can make the connections."
Yong Xin Tian, I understand that the Singaporean government wants to invest in local R&D. What does this mean for Israel?
"Many of you know that Singapore is a small country with no natural resources, so high-tech is essential for us. Every five years, the government launches a national technological research and development program. In 2026-2030, the program will broadly include deep tech, mainly in energy, health tech due to our aging population, AI, and quantum computing."
Christian, there is a new government in Canada. What are the changes in terms of how to do business there?
Bedford: "Under the new government, a budget was passed that is very pro-trade, and part of that budget is a plan to double non-U.S. trade in the coming years. Therefore, much more can be done with Israel. Within the budget, one major component is AI, with the first goal being to increase productivity through AI. Quantum computing received $330 million over five years to expand national capabilities, and joint research is already underway between the University of Toronto and the Technion to enhance our trade relations."
Galit, how does the “Make America Great Again” policy affect Israeli companies?
Meyran: "Trump is a businessman looking for ROI. Everyone wants to do business, including with Israel. The results need to be leveraged. They know and want to see how much they can help. For example, there are incentives in Michigan and South Dakota for Israelis to operate from there and use the available human resources."
You can watch the full exchange in the video above.
