War is raging in the Middle East as Israel and Iran battle from afar, and Gaza remains under the control of Hamas following the horrific invasion of its neighbor. Other conflicts in the region have taken a backseat to the growing global battle. Currently, the US is considering whether or not to participate in the Iran/Israel war, going beyond knocking out missiles to directly attacking Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
So, is now the time to invest in Israeli startups? OurCrowd CEO and founder Jon Medved thinks it is.
In an op-ed in the Jewish News, Medved states that Israel’s economy has responded to challenges not by retreating, but by innovating. Medved explains:
“… we are seeing new waves of dual-use innovation: software that overlays live video with geospatial data to guide emergency responders; AI that monitors financial networks to flag illicit transactions and terror financing; advanced cooling systems for data centers that keep AI infrastructure running even under strain from climate or conflict.”
OurCrowd is regularly named the top venture investor in Israel. The online investment platform enables smaller investors (accredited) to participate in the private securities markets either via funds or a single early-stage firm. While its portfolio is global, there is a heavy emphasis on Israeli startups, an ecosystem well-known for launching successful new services and products.
Medved believes that waiting for stability means you may be missing an opportunity, touting the resilience of the innovation nation.
In a separate LinkedIn post, Medved also notes that the Israeli stock market is hitting record highs, bolstering his theory that now is the time to buy. Mint reports:
“The Israeli stock exchange’s flagship index TA 125 has been in an uptrend since the inception of the war between Iran and Israel on June 13, gaining 5% during this period. The index is up nearly 5% in June so far, building on a 6.55% rise seen in May and a 4.53% gain recorded in April.”
While it is unclear how soon this conflict will end, conflict sometimes creates opportunities for investors and private firms that can adapt and help solve some of the world’s challenges. Change is inevitable; it is just a question of how and when.
