UK Minister for Universities and Science leads high-level digital delegation to Israel

Last week, the Minister for Universities and Science, the Rt Hon David Willetts MP, travelled to Israel for a three-day visit focused on bolstering high tech links between the UK and Israel.

The Minister led a delegation of over a dozen leading British companies and investors from the field of digital technology. This delegation was constructed together with the Trade & Economic Office at the Embassy of Israel, London.

This delegation came on the heels of the official launch of the British Embassy’s new dedicated High Tech Hub. Among the participants are leading venture capitalists, as well as, Telefonica O2, Albion, Stylus Media Group, and Eric Van Der Kleij CEO of London’s TechCity, the capital’s growing high-tech centre, already home to 300 companies.

Minister Willetts will be the British co-chair of the new UK-Israel High-Tech Council, which the two Prime Ministers have agreed to establish. The Council will bring together the key figures in tech on both sides, as well as some of the most impressive start-ups and investors.

During his visit to Israel, Minister Willetts met with senior members of Israel’s digital community and a range of digital start-ups, to gain an insight into Israel’s digital economy, and to identify ways in which the UK and Israel can be partners in this key area.

Speaking ahead of the visit, the Minister said: “I am delighted to be visiting Israel with such a high-profile delegation, one that really represents the innovation and diversity of Britain’s digital sector. This is a significant time for the UK-Israel high tech relationship, and our goal will be to demonstrate to Israeli companies that Britain can help Israeli innovation go global. .”

As part of the visit, the Minister and members of the delegation visited the Technion Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa. While in Haifa, they led a seminar on UK high tech, hosted by Google at its offices in the MATAM industrial park. The seminar focused on the opportunities available to companies setting up in TechCity – the digital tech cluster growing up around the Olympic Park in East London.

In addition to a number of speaking events, including at the Go4Europe conference in Tel Aviv, Minister Willetts met with a series of Israeli officials, including Minister for Trade, Industry and Labour, Shalom Simhon and Science and Technology Minister Daniel Hershkowitz.

The British and Israeli Governments are aligning in the areas of technology and innovation and there is a positive atmosphere in trade relations which bodes well for the future.

Information taken from: ukinisrael.fco.gov.uk