"India-Israel Innovation Bridge" Launches The Israel Innovation Authority and the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry Join Startup Ecosystems of India and Israel

Jerusalem, July 8^th, 2017 - Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi, along with the Prime Minister of Israel, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, this week launched a bilateral innovation challenge calling on Israeli and Indian startups to combine forces to develop solutions to some of the world's most critical challenges in agriculture, water and digital health. The challenge will be hosted on the new India-Israel Innovation Bridge, an online platform to facilitate bilateral collaboration between Israeli and Indian startups, techhubs, corporations and other key innovation ecosystem players.

The initiative aims at leveraging Israel's strengths in technology, with Indian market access to develop technology solutions for the world's most critical challenges. As part of the challenge, a joint panel of judges will select entrepreneurs from India and Israel who will get the opportunity to further develop their solutions through a uniqueprogram managed by Invest India and Israel Innovation Authority,.The selected startups from both countries will have the opportunity to interact with end users, investors, corporations and other potential partners in India and Israel.

The Innovation Bridge will promote knowledge-exchange by providing comprehensive guides and toolkits to help startups explore expansion opportunities.

The India–Israel Innovation Bridge is a joint initiative of the Israel Innovation Authority and the I Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India to bring together the startup ecosystems of India and Israel.iCreate (Ahmedabad, India), T-Hub (Hyderabad, India), Pears Program have already committed to the startups that will be chosen at the innovation challenge, to be joined by Israeli and Indian corporate partners.