The Ministry of Communications and the Israel Innovation Authority announce funding and the launch of a joint initiative within the framework of the Matba”h – the Technological Center for Security and Resilience in the Western Negev.
The goal of the initiative is to encourage technological and regional innovation in the Western Negev by establishing a network of partners in the field of advanced communication infrastructures. The partners include government ministries, local authorities, communication companies, and startups.
Minister of Communications, Dr. Shlomo Karhi: “I am proud of the teams that led this important initiative to transform the Western Negev from a front of confrontation to a front of innovation. Strengthening communication and technology infrastructures in the periphery is a prerequisite for growth, national resilience, and reducing gaps. Through partnerships between the government, local authorities, and the communication market, we are connecting the residents of the South to the center of technological activity and enabling them not only to enjoy the fruits of innovation but to lead it.”
CEO of the Israel Innovation Authority, Dror Bin: “Advanced communication infrastructures are the foundation of any modern innovation economy and are a necessary condition for national resilience, regional growth, and maintaining Israel’s competitive advantage. The investment in the Western Negev is not just an investment in technology, but an investment in the ability of regions facing security challenges to become centers of technological development and experimentation. Through the Technological Center for Security and Resilience, we connect civilian and security needs with the advanced capabilities of the Israeli high-tech industry, and create an infrastructure for long-term economic growth and globally impactful innovation.”
Senior Deputy Director for Strategy and Innovation at the Ministry of Communications, Nitzia Yoditz: “Innovation processes in the field of communication infrastructures constitute a significant and important axis of activity that assists the Ministry of Communications in fulfilling its role as an advanced regulator, especially in light of recent technological developments. The implementation of the project in the Western Negev in partnership with the Technological Center for Security and Resilience allows for the creation of an optimal testing environment for all relevant parties. I am excited about the joint work with Matba”h – the Technological Center for Security and Resilience in the Western Negev.”
This move is part of the implementation of a broad vision for innovation in the field of communication infrastructures – infrastructures that serve as a technological basis for the “Startup Nation,” and act as a driving force for strengthening Israel’s global technological standing and economic growth in the Western Negev region.
This vision, announced today, is the product of the innovation conference held by the Ministry of Communications last September in Sderot, where a series of advanced technology companies presented the latest innovations in the field.
Some of the companies participating in the initiative – Nokia, Pelephone, Bezeq, HOT, Partner, and Cellcom – have also joined as partners who will help advance the innovation vision, out of a commitment to strengthening innovation in the communication infrastructure market. Participation is open to additional companies from the communication and technology sectors, as well as other relevant entities.
The initiative will include the establishment of pilot sites in selected local authorities in the Western Negev region and the allocation of resources for conducting pilots by startups, with the aim of promoting innovative solutions in the field of communication infrastructures.
In addition, work processes will be established and an organizational framework will be provided to leading startups, with the aim of identifying challenges and implementing innovative solutions in the field of communication infrastructures.
The implementation of these processes is expected to bring a combined benefit in several areas: on the technological level, as a move supporting breakthroughs; on the regulatory level, as an enabling step for adapting regulation to actual needs; and on the local level, as an accelerator for the deployment of advanced communication infrastructures on a wide national scale, with special emphasis on peripheral areas and border regions.