Five Israeli startups will open offices in Berlin this week, the result of a cooperative agreement to help entrepreneurs in the city and Tel Aviv, The Times of Israel reported on Friday.
“Berlin and Tel Aviv have a lot in common: Both cities stand for creativity and entrepreneurial spirit,” said Michael Müller, the mayor of the German capital. “They attract young talent and offer the best environment for that talent to make their ideas a reality. I am pleased to welcome the first Israeli entrepreneurs to Berlin and I hope they have fruitful discussions and an exciting time in Berlin.”
The Times named the first five Israeli companies slated to open offices in Germany next week:
Pzartech, a provider of 3D printing services for companies; Join VR Technologies LTD 4.0, a streaming service for virtual reality videos on smartphones; Myndlift, a developer of wearables that measure brainwaves and train the ability to concentrate; Quiccargo, an online marketplace to determine logistics capacities; and Shopeat, a recipe portal with integrated ordering of ingredients via the Internet.
“This is a really exciting time for both German and Israeli entrepreneurs and start-ups,” said Hila Oren, CEO and founder of Tel Aviv Global, the city-run initiative that spearheaded the agreement governing this unique partnership. “Tel Aviv is the Start-up City of the Start-up Nation, and we see a huge number of foreign companies looking to be part of the amazingly innovative culture we have here.”
The agreement seeks to give Israeli companies an entry into markets in Europe, and German companies a chance to benefit from Israel’s high-tech ecosystem.
Berlin Partner, the city-run project that struck the agreement with Tel Aviv Global, will provide the Israeli companies with “office space, mentors, investor contacts, and other services.” Berlin Partner will help the Israelis find housing as well.
“We will also network them with established companies and scientific institutions to find partners for collaboration,” added Dr. Stefan Franzke, a spokesperson for Berlin Partner. “Such an exchange of creative people is a real driver for innovation.”
Andrea Joras, managing director of Berlin Partner, acknowledged that while the history of the Holocaust impacts relationships between Israelis and Germans, the entrepreneurs “do not let it immobilize them.”
“We do not ignore history,” continued Joras, who studied in Jerusalem for three years. “We acknowledge it and move on together.”
[Photo: IHK Berlin / YouTube ]