Tag: startup ecosystem

Gone Global: Why did Israel emerge as a world-leading startup ecosystem?

Gone Global: Why did Israel emerge as a world-leading startup ecosystem?

Mar 29, 2016 | ,

Much has been written about Israel’s emergence as one of the leading startup ecosystems in the world, but less effort has been made to truly understand why the Startup Nation has achieved this global recognition and level of success. Some of our favorite explanations for what makes Israel a thriving launch pad of technological innovation include: a pervasive pioneering ethos; in a way, Israel itself is a ‘startup’ among hi tech countries large immigrant populations with international networks and experience an informal culture and social structure hutzpah – you know it when you see it a tolerance for high-risk startup founders are cultural icons and role models small geographic area allows for leveraging tight-knit, interconnected networks the military provides training in leadership, teamwork and exposure to cutting-edge technologies Each of these reasons are worth exploring in their own right, but the reason for Israel’s success we want to focus on here is the idea that Israeli startups go global from day one. With a population of only 8 million people spanning 8,000 sq. miles, the country presents a very small domestic business opportunity for most...

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#WhatsYourBigIdea Podcast: Hunt Down Great Ideas & Make Them Yours

#WhatsYourBigIdea Podcast: Hunt Down Great Ideas & Make Them Yours

Sep 4, 2014 | , , ,

Great business ideas do not spring from innate creativity, or necessarily from the brilliant minds of people. Rather, great ideas come to those who are in the habit of looking for great ideas — all around them, all the time. Join Andy Boynton, Dean of the Boston College School of Management and author of The Idea Hunter: How to Find The Best Ideas and Make Them Happen, and OurCrowd’s Zack Miller as they discuss the process great investors like Warren Buffett use to generate new ideas and make money from them, how to create an idea portfolio, what makes up a good idea vs. a bad one, and more. This is part of an ongoing exploration we’ve had with our investor community at OurCrowd about ideas and creativity. To learn more about big ideas, check out IsraelIdeas.com   Zack Miller is the Head of Investor Community at OurCrowd. Zack has been growing investment businesses for the past decade, holding senior leadership positions and consulting some of the top next-generation finance sites. To contact Zack Miller, follow him on Linkedin / Twitter Andy Boynton is dean of...

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#WhatsYourBigIdea Podcast: Avoid these myths, generate great ideas

#WhatsYourBigIdea Podcast: Avoid these myths, generate great ideas

Sep 1, 2014 | ,

Investors and entrepreneurs share many myths about where big ideas come from and how to generate them. OurCrowd’s Zack Miller chats with author David Burkus about his book, The Myths of Creativity: The Truth About How Innovative Companies and People Generate Great Ideas. Burkus describes the process and environment that enable all of us in the startup ecosystem to consistently generate more (and better!) big ideas. This is part of an ongoing exploration we’ve had with our investor community at OurCrowd about ideas and creativity. To learn more about big ideas, check out IsraelIdeas.com   Zack Miller is the Head of Investor Community at OurCrowd. Zack has been growing investment businesses for the past decade, holding senior leadership positions and consulting some of the top next-generation finance sites. To contact Zack Miller, follow him on Linkedin / Twitter David Burkus is a contributor to Forbes and Harvard Business Review, an Assistant Professor of Management at Oral Roberts University, and the the founder and host of LDRLB, a podcast that shares insights on leadership, innovation, and strategy. To contact David Burkus, follow him on Linkedin / Twitter  ...

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What is a growth hacker and why every startup needs one

What is a growth hacker and why every startup needs one

Jan 21, 2014 |

This guest post was written by Shy Rosenzweig and originally published on The Times of Israel (Ops & Blogs). Shy Rosenzweig is an experienced entrepreneur & and “innovation freak” who specializes in marketing and product development. Shy is the co-founder and COO at Meetey.com – a local social network. @ShyRosenzweig . The title “Growth Hacker” started gaining its popularity after Sean Ellis first coined the term in 2010. Before that, growth hackers were simply called “marketers” for lack of a better name. A growth hacker is a marketer, but with one focus in mind – growth. That’s not to say that all marketers are not interested in growth – they are, but the difference is in the extent of their focus. In a large corporation, you’ve got your VP Marketing or CMO at the top of the marketing food chain. This person looks at the big picture of everything – customer satisfaction, revenues, brand awareness, reputation management, partnerships, etc. It’s quite a lot to focus on, so they’ll have a team working with them. One person will focus on managing affiliates, another on writing great copy, one on...

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The Startup Ecosystem: A Fishy Look at Predator vs. Prey [Infographic]

The Startup Ecosystem: A Fishy Look at Predator vs. Prey [Infographic]

Dec 22, 2013 |

There’s no denying that when it comes to startups, it’s a dog eat dog world… or is that a fish eat fish ocean? Whether you’re  a young startup hiring employees, raising venture capital or an angel investor looking to invest in the next Facebook, it’s tough navigating the murky and danger-filled waters of the startup world. This funny ocean themed infographic looks at the delicate balance between predators and prey in the startup ecosystem, and helps you figure out how to balance all of the key players in the industry. So without further ado, dive in and get your sea legs...

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