Assaf Luxembourg is an international marketing and business development professional, advising several projects and endeavors. Assaf talks to various audiences and groups from abroad, presenting the Israeli economy and the "Start-up Nation". Assaf also speaks about tech entrepreneurship in Israel, how Israel's eco-system works, and about the Israeli business culture. Assaf also mentors and teaches entrepreneurs how to write business plans, conduct market research, manage databases in early stages and how to effectively build pitches and presentations to investors. More so, Assaf speaks about the BrandIsrael project and new concepts in Israeli public diplomacy. Assaf is an approved speaker by TAGLIT-Birthright Israel. Assaf Works at BDO Israel as a Business Development Senior Associate, and is also a Board Member at CityTLV- The Association for the promotion of Greater Tel Aviv as an International Financial Center. In his past, he led the International Department at StarTau, Tel Aviv University Entrepreneurship Center, worked at overseas public diplomacy at the Israeli Ministry of Finance, and at TAGLIT-Brithright Israel. Assaf holds a BA in economics and political science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Assaf Luxembourg is an international marketing and business development professional, advising several projects and endeavors. Assaf talks to various audiences and groups from abroad, presenting the Israeli economy and the "Start-up Nation". Assaf also speaks about tech entrepreneurship in Israel, how Israel's eco-system works, and about the Israeli business culture. Assaf also mentors and teaches entrepreneurs how to write business plans, conduct market research, manage databases in early stages and how to effectively build pitches and presentations to investors. More so, Assaf speaks about the BrandIsrael project and new concepts in Israeli public diplomacy. Assaf is an approved speaker by TAGLIT-Birthright Israel. More Slides by Assaf http://www.slideshare.net/assaf_l Add your voice to creation of Leadel FLY Conference 2016 http://goo.gl/forms/7vmpV0Kysy and stay informed about mentorship opportunities from Leadel FLY speakers! Visit www.leadel.com/materials to receive access to more valuable tips.

1. Lessons from Israel: It’s All About Clusters
Assaf Luxembourg
Business Development and Marketing Professional

2. Agenda
Introduction
It’s all about clusters
Beyond the “start-up nation”
Global place positioning
Lessons from the Israeli case study

3. Agenda
Introduction
Global place positioning
Lessons from the Israeli case study
It’s all about clusters
Beyond the “start-up nation”

4. Introduction
Assaf Luxembourg
about.me/assafluxembourg
Business Development and Marketing Professional

5. Introduction

6. Consulting
Assaf serves as a business
development and marketing
consultant. He helps build an
effective pipeline of opportunities and
facilitates introductions that generate
deal-flow. Assaf also designs
focused marketing strategies
specifically adapted for his clients'
needs.
Engagements
Assaf lectures to business and
student missions in Israel about the
Israeli economy, the Start-up
Nation, branding Israel and more.
Assaf provides professional
lectures for entrepreneurs on
market research, business plans,
effective pitching and more.
Moderating
Assaf offers his vast experience in
speaking to small and large
audiences. He moderates business
events with both a professional,
personal and friendly attitude. As a
professional presenter, Assaf knows
to adjust his presentation to any
specific client needs.
Introduction

7. Introduction

8. Introduction

9. Agenda
Introduction
It’s all about clusters
Beyond the “start-up nation”
Global place positioning
Lessons from the Israeli case study

10. It’s all about clusters
“Eco-system”

11. It’s all about clusters
Michael Porter
 Harvard Business School
 Leading authority on company strategy
 Study of competitiveness
 The Competitive Advantage of Nations (1990)

12. It’s all about clusters
Paul Krugman
 Princeton University
 World-known economist
 Nobel prize in economics
 Geography and Trade (1991)

13. It’s all about clusters
Definition
A geographical location where enough resources and
competences amass reach a critical threshold, giving it a
key position in a given economic branch of activity, and
with a decisive sustainable competitive advantage over
other places, or even a world supremacy in that field.

14. It’s all about clusters
Examples

15. It’s all about clusters
Examples

16. It’s all about clusters
Examples

17. It’s all about clusters
Examples

18. It’s all about clusters
Examples

19. It’s all about clusters
Examples

20. It’s all about clusters
Examples

21. It’s all about clusters
Examples

22. It’s all about clusters
What makes a tech cluster?
Academic R&D
Failure acceptance
Investors
Entrepreneurs
Government support
Risk acceptance Community
Niche culture Joint causes
togetherness
productiveness

23. It’s all about clusters
What makes a tech cluster?
Academic R&D
Failure acceptance
Investors
Entrepreneurs
Government support
Risk acceptance Community
Niche culture Joint causes
togetherness
productiveness
“Coopetition”

24. It’s all about clusters

25. Agenda
Introduction
It’s all about clusters
Beyond the “start-up nation”
Global place positioning
Lessons from the Israeli case study

26. Beyond the Startup Nation
Culture

27. Beyond the Startup Nation
Business
Culture

28. Beyond the Startup Nation

29. The ‘Israeli way’:
 Informality
 Directness
 Warmness
 Energetic
 ‘Hutzpa’
Beyond the Startup Nation

30. Beyond the Startup Nation

31. Beyond the Startup Nation

32. Beyond the Startup Nation

33. Beyond the Startup Nation

34. Constant surrounding security threatMandatory military service
Beyond the Startup Nation

35. Mandatory military service:
 Exposure to BAT at a young age
 Big responsibility experience
 ‘Crash course’ in decision making under pressure and
imperfect information
 Valuable management experience
Beyond the Startup Nation

36. Mandatory military service:
OPORDs
Target
• End result
Mission
• What needs to be done
in order to achieve the
mission
Objectives
&
indicators
• Sub-missions and how
they are measured
Beyond the Startup Nation

37. Mandatory military service:
OPORDs
Target
• End result
Mission
• What needs to be done
in order to achieve the
mission
Objectives
&
indicators
• Sub-missions and how
they are measured
Dominate the valley Conquer the hill Distract enemy…
climb through back…
minimum casualties…
Beyond the Startup Nation

38. Mandatory military service:
OPORDs
 Crucial for business
 Project management
 Gantts
Beyond the Startup Nation

39. Beyond the Startup Nation

40. Mandatory military service:
OPORDs
 Crucial for business
 Project management
 Gantts
 Pragmatism
Beyond the Startup Nation

41. Beyond the Startup Nation
Joe Shmo
Some issues following our last talk
Dear Assaf,
It was my upmost pleasure to talk to you the other day.
I firmly believe that we could assist each other in our common goals.
Towards our next meeting, I would be happy to discuss the following issues.
First, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Very long sentences
explaining the obvious just so we would have every bit of information written down in an email. This is totally useless by your culture, however very
important in mine. Blah blah blah and some more blah. Therefore, this is the bottom line sentence. I would added this following sentence to hide the
bottom line sentence.
Second, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Very long
sentences explaining the obvious just so we would have every bit of information written down in an email. This is totally useless by your culture,
however very important in mine. Blah blah blah and some more blah. Therefore, this is the bottom line sentence. I would added this following
sentence to hide the bottom line sentence.
Third, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. By now you must be
gone already blah blah. Therefore, this is the bottom line sentence. I would added this following sentence to hide the bottom line sentence.
Please send our regards here in the office to your wonderful wife and child.
Sincerely yours,
Joe Shmo.

42. Beyond the Startup Nation

43. Beyond the Startup Nation

44. Beyond the Startup Nation

45. Beyond the Startup Nation
Joe Shmo
Some issues following our last talk
Dear Assaf,
It was my upmost pleasure to talk to you the other day.
I firmly believe that we could assist each other in our common goals.
Towards our next meeting, I would be happy to discuss the following issues.
First, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Very long sentences
explaining the obvious just so we would have every bit of information written down in an email. This is totally useless by your culture, however very
important in mine. Blah blah blah and some more blah. Therefore, this is the bottom line sentence. I would added this following sentence to hide the
bottom line sentence.
Second, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Very long
sentences explaining the obvious just so we would have every bit of information written down in an email. This is totally useless by your culture,
however very important in mine. Blah blah blah and some more blah. Therefore, this is the bottom line sentence. I would added this following
sentence to hide the bottom line sentence.
Third, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. By now you must be
gone already blah blah. Therefore, this is the bottom line sentence. I would added this following sentence to hide the bottom line sentence.
Please send our regards here in the office to your wonderful wife and child.
Sincerely yours,
Joe Shmo.

46. Beyond the Startup Nation
to Joe Shmo
Re: Some issues following our last talk
Hi Joe,
My pleasure as well.
1. First issue = depends on my colleague, let me check…
2. No go, we need another way… 
3. Agreed.
Speak soon,
Assaf.

47. Beyond the Startup Nation

48. Beyond the Startup Nation
How is this
“beyond the
startup nation”?

49. How is this beyond the startup nation?
1. Israel is not ONLY the “start-up nation”
 It is also many other things…
2. What makes Israel the “start-up nation”, also makes it
other all those other things
 For better, and for worse
 The true DNA of Israel
 The true brand
Beyond the Startup Nation

50. Beyond the Startup Nation
What is that
DNA?

51. Beyond the Startup Nation
Creative EnergyCreative EnergyCreative EnergyCreative EnergyCreative EnergyCreative EnergyCreative EnergyCreative EnergyCreative Energy

52. Beyond the Startup Nation
What drives that
creative energy?

53. There are many reasons, here’s two:
1. The “home” factor
2. A sense of purpose
Beyond the Startup Nation

54. Agenda
Introduction
It’s all about clusters
Beyond the “start-up nation”
Global place positioning
Lessons from the Israeli case study

55. Global Place Positioning
What is place positioning?
The process of building a clear and unique brand for
any kind of place
 Has to rely on true values.
 begins with a clear understanding of the DNA of the
place, for better and for worse.
 Followed by a clear understanding of what this place
can offer, and that consumers want.
 Those understandings are then translated into a
promise, which has to be delivered always.

56. Global Place Positioning
Today’s world is flat and interconnected.
In today’s world, there is a fierce competition
between regions, countries, counties, cities
etc., over attention:
 Tourism
 Foreign direct investments
 Financial investments
 Trade
Places which will not act to offer values to
consumers will be left behind.

57. Global Place Positioning
What is your
DNA?

58. Agenda
Introduction
It’s all about clusters
Beyond the “start-up nation”
Global place positioning
Lessons from the Israeli case study

59. Lessons from Israel
1. Every person, product, company, place,
society has a unique DNA.
2. Positioning is all about highlighting the
values of that DNA to the world.
3. You may be associated with a false DNA
which does not serve your interests.
4. It is changeable over time.

60. Lessons from Israel
5. Nurturing your true and positive DNA is
effective by building clusters of excellence.
6. In Israel’s case, our DNA is creative energy
and the cluster we’ve nurtured is a mix of
creativity, technology and R&D.
7. Israel did not nurture that cluster by a top-
down process, but through an over-time-
across-the-board process.
“We kind of figured it out…”

61. Lessons from Israel
8. Find your true DNA and tell the world.
9. Find the purpose for your community.
10.In today’s fierce competition, you simply
have no other choice.
11.Learn and explore others who did it.
12.Do not imitate, innovate

62. Global Place Positioning
What are YOU
all about?

63. Lessons from Israel: It’s All About Clusters
Assaf Luxembourg
Business Development and Marketing Professional
Thank you!