By Ricky Ben-David - January 27, 2022
Israel has officially launched a NIS 225 million ($70 million) program to promote entrepreneurship among Arab communities and better integrate members into the country’s booming tech industry, where they are severely underrepresented.
Israel’s Arab community makes up around 20 percent of the country’s population, but accounts for only around 3.5% of workers in the tech sector, according to Tsofen, an organization that promotes tech activity in Arab cities and the integration of Arab-Israeli citizens into tech firms.
The program, led by the ministries of Innovation, Science and Technology, and Social Equality together with the Israel Innovation Authority, is part of a wider government plan to allocate over NIS 32 billion ($10 billion) for Arab communities in fields like education, economic development, health, and crime-fighting.
The tech program will see the funds being rolled out over the next five years toward a number of initiatives such as the establishment of entrepreneurship centers, technological incubators and accelerators, and an investors’ club.
Read More: Times of Israel