Jerusalem has emerged as one of Israel's leading innovation hubs, successfully connecting universities, startups, investors and public institutions into a single ecosystem. At the center of this effort are organizations dedicated to fostering cooperation, promoting entrepreneurship and strengthening the city's global innovation profile.

In an interview with The Caspian Post, Michael Mizrahi, a leading expert in academic-industry cooperation and structural innovation ecosystems in Jerusalem, spoke about the mechanisms behind the city's innovation success, opportunities for expanding Azerbaijan-Israel cooperation, and the potential role of Azerbaijan as a regional technology hub.

- Mr. Mizrahi, Jerusalem has successfully connected universities, startups, investors and government institutions. Which specific mechanism has been the most effective in creating this collaboration?

- One of the most successful mechanisms has been the creation of a central umbrella organization called Made in Jerusalem, which brings together the city's innovation ecosystem under a single framework.

Its work is based on three key principles: collecting, connecting and branding.

The first step was collecting information about the ecosystem. Before building collaboration, you need to know who the players are. The organization mapped startups, incubators, accelerators, co-working spaces, universities, investors and other innovation stakeholders operating in Jerusalem.

The second step was connecting these actors. Once the ecosystem was mapped, sector-focused communities and events were established in areas such as cybersecurity, gaming and health technologies. These platforms created opportunities for entrepreneurs, researchers, investors and public institutions to interact and collaborate.

The third pillar was branding. Jerusalem wanted to position itself as a global innovation center. A comprehensive public awareness and marketing campaign was launched to raise the city's profile internationally. Organizations and companies were encouraged to register their activities under Jerusalem on major global startup ecosystem platforms, helping the city gain international recognition and visibility.

This combination of community-building, coordination and strategic branding significantly strengthened Jerusalem's position on the global innovation map.

- What opportunities do you see for building a stronger innovation partnership between Azerbaijan and Israel in the coming years?

- I believe one of the most promising areas for cooperation is critical minerals and the technologies surrounding them.

Every country should build on its unique strengths. Rather than trying to replicate another innovation ecosystem, it is important to identify areas where natural advantages already exist and then combine them with advanced technologies.

photo: Trend

The global demand for critical minerals is growing rapidly due to developments in artificial intelligence, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors and defense technologies. These resources have become strategically important for countries around the world.

Azerbaijan possesses valuable natural resources that could play an increasingly important role in future global supply chains. The opportunity extends beyond extraction. It includes exploration technologies, refining, recycling, resource management and the application of artificial intelligence to improve efficiency across the entire value chain.

Israel has strong expertise in technology development, AI, data analytics and innovation management. Combining these capabilities with Azerbaijan's resource potential could create significant opportunities for bilateral cooperation.

In my view, countries that successfully combine technological innovation with access to strategic resources will be among the strongest economic players in the coming decades.

- Could Azerbaijan become a regional innovation hub linking Israeli technology with markets in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia?

- Azerbaijan certainly has the potential to play such a role, but it is important to understand how Israeli startups typically approach international markets.

Because Israel's domestic market is relatively small, startups usually target large international markets from the very beginning. Most focus on the United States and Western Europe, where they see the greatest opportunities for growth and investment.

Central Asia is not yet a primary destination for most Israeli startups. The region is less familiar, and many entrepreneurs have limited knowledge of local business environments and market dynamics.

This means that the initiative will likely need to come from Azerbaijan and regional partners. If Azerbaijani companies actively engage with Israeli technology firms and demonstrate strong commercial demand, interest will naturally increase.

Israeli startups are highly responsive to market opportunities. If they see customers, strategic partners and clear business potential, they will be willing to explore new markets.

In this context, Azerbaijan could serve as an effective bridge between Israeli innovation and the broader Central Asian region. By facilitating partnerships, creating market access opportunities and supporting business development, Azerbaijan could strengthen its position as a regional innovation and technology hub.

However, such a role requires sustained engagement, investment in relationships and a clear strategy for attracting international technology companies. If these elements are in place, the prospects for success are significant.