1. Integration of the Arab and hi-tech
societies in Israel
For the Fulbright conference
2. Tsofen rationale
• The hi-tech industry is Israel’s engine of growth
• Israel spends more of its GDP on R&D than any OECD
country
• … Yet, Arab citizens do not participate
• And it will help Israel hi-tech which is in need of
engineering talent
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3. Tsofen vision & goals
Full integration of Israel’s Arab society and
Israel’s hi-technology industry
• Thousands of Arab engineers employed in the hi-
tech industry; and
• A hi-tech industry will start in Arab cities
4. Arab hi-tech: graduates do not work*
2,400
1,000
Arabs: 1,000 vs. 2,700
Dismal opportunities influence career choice: few graduates with exact
sciences degree
4 *2009-11, based on CBOS and Tsofen statistics
6. Since Our Inception: Major Changes
• Arabs in high-tech have tripled to 1,000
• Nazareth transformed into a high-tech hub
• The high-tech industry is taking notice
“Israeli high-tech needs Arab Human Capital more
than Arab sector needs high-tech industry” Elisha Yanay, Chairman
of the Israeli Association of Electronic and Software Industries
• Government is engaged
• Media is committed
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7. Working With the Arab community
• Hi-tech track in Nazareth only biz
conference
• Hackathon for the hi tech community
• Technical workshops for students
• Meetups for entrepreneurs community
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8. Creating hi tech within Arab Society
Tsofen Alumni ceremony
The first ever Google event in the Arab
community of Israel, conducted in
collaboration with Tsofen
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