Tech firms hope to seek opportunities in Israel

Guests share experiences and insights on Israel at a conference held by Great Wall Club in Beijing on January 17, 2017. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

A Beijing-based online game company, 7k7k.com, hopes to learn more about the Israeli market to prepare for possible business opportunities there.

The company attended a conference called Why Israel, held by Great Wall Club on Tuesday, where experts and industry insiders shared their insights on Israel and experiences in working with the Israeli people.

"We don't have business there (in Israel) right now. But we are very interested in it," said Deng Lu, business development director of the company.

7k7k.com is one among many Chinese companies that have shown zest for the Middle Eastern country.

Shengjing FOF, a Chinese fund that invests globally, has teamed up with Chinese tech giants in investing Israeli's venture capital fund Jerusalem Venture Partners and private equity fund Viola.

Managing partner of Shengjing FOF Wang Xiangyun believed that the innovative and entrepreneurial climate in Israel is second only to the Silicon Valley in the United States.

The premier investment environment featuring openness to foreign capital, sound legal system, and excellent exit channels makes Israel a good place to invest, she said at the meet.

According to Chinese news outlet the Economic Observer citing data by Israel Venture Capital, the total amount of Chinese investment in Israeli startup companies is expected to reach $500 million and Chinese investment in Israeli VC funds is expected to rise 18 percent to $1 billion in 2016.

Israel gives top priority to education, scientific research and innovation, said Han Jun, deputy chief appraiser of the National Center for Science and Technology Evaluation and former technology counselor of the Chinese embassy in Israel.

Israel's R&D input accounts for 4.5 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), its education input takes up eight percent of the GDP, and it ranks first worldwide in the number of per capita patent applications, according to Han.

"Innovation is embedded in the DNA of the Jewish people," Han reckoned. Over many years of work in Israel, he found that the Jewish people are diligent, frugal, efficient, and down-to-earth. Chinese companies should take into account these traits while communicating with them, he added.

Israelis seek business opportunities via financial advisors, business events, hangout places for entrepreneurs, start-up communities, referral from other entrepreneurs, among others, said Li Xiaoyuan, deputy general manager of the Israel Chamber of Commerce in China, which has around 120 members, of which 70 percent are Israeli companies.

The Global Mobile Internet Conference (GMIC), to be held on Tel Aviv on March 22, will be a good opportunity for communication between Chinese and Israeli tech companies, Great Wall Club chief executive Hao Yi said.

Tel Aviv will be GMIC's first leg around the globe this year, followed by eight other cities including Beijing, Sao Paulo and Bangalore. More than 1,000 companies attended the GMIC in Tel Aviv last year.

To add its appeal, the GMIC-X, a gala that brings music and technology together and received 430 million online clicks when debuted in Beijing last year, will stage in Tel Aviv for the first time, Hao said, welcoming companies to take the chance to interact with Israeli locals.

Since its founding in 2008, Great Wall Club has been committed to building a platform for global innovators. It has held the GMIC in the past eight years, turning it into the world's largest and most influential mobile internet event.