Startups, sanctions and survival: Israel’s next test

Israel has long been in the startup fast lane, and the geopolitical landscape has not put the brakes on. (Image: Getty)

Wed, 24 Sep 2025

As New Zealand weighs up a historic decision on recognising Palestine as a sovereign state, Israel, long celebrated as the “startup nation”, finds its legendary innovation engine tested as never before. War, political turmoil and shifting alliances have cast doubts on whether Israel can still claim its title as the world’s most dynamic tech hotbed. Yet, for influential voices at the coalface, such as Startup Nation co-author Saul Singer and NZ-born, Tel Aviv-based venture capitalist Ben Weiss, the lessons from the st...

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