‘I See Prophecy Being Fulfilled’: Powerful Global Investors Flock to Jerusalem for Groundbreaking Tech Summit
JERUSALEM, Israel – Nearly 20 thousand innovators and investors from almost every country came to see the largest tech meeting in the history of Israel, the OurCrowd global summit.
The summit brings together extraordinary technology like Beyond Meat, a company that developed a plant-based meat substitute.
Another Israeli company discovered how to turn air into water – a game-changing innovation that can provide drinking water to entire cities.
"We think that we found the solution for the entire world, for the new source of drinking water,” Watergen executive chairman Maxim Pasik told CBN News.
One company plans to connect the world through microsatellites.
"There are four billion people in the world who are not connected … They need to be able to choose to whether to connect, to be connected,” NSLComm CEO Raz said.
Meanwhile, UPnRide is helping the paralyzed get on their feet.
"It's the best device there is. It's light. It's very innovative. It's perfect. It's so stable. And when I walk down the aisle with it, it was a dream come true," said Adir Simon Tov.
OurCrowd showcased all these technologies to investors who want to help Israeli businesses grow. Jon Medved is the CEO and founder.
“Our Crowd is the largest investment platform for investors to invest in startups online and in person in events like this OurCrowd summit,” he said.
At the summit, investors meet innovators. OurCrowd democratizes capital by giving smaller investors an opportunity to invest in cutting edge innovations just like the large venture capitalists. After six years, OurCrowd is celebrating one billion dollars raised for 170 companies.
But the bottom line is to change the world. They call it the double bottom line. Making money and doing good.
"What's most exciting about today's event is that we're focused on impact, on how startups can focus on global challenges. How we can look right in the eye these issues of climate change, pollution, hunger, health care, transportation, energy and how can startups bring to humanity a huge impact for the better,” Medved said.
Medved explains it as an expression of Tikun Olam, the Jewish concept of healing the world.
Betty Wu Adams, OurCrowd’s US Director of Investor Relations, believes Christians can play a role.
“God is our first Entrepreneur. He created the world out of nothing in the first six days. I believe there's a calling for us as Christians to partner with OurCrowd as we invest in companies that are going to transform and change the world,” she said.
Adams sees this as a way to bless Israel.
"Read your Bible. What does God say in Genesis to Father Abraham? This is the apple of His eye. The Jews are His Chosen People. This land, it's written in the Bible. As a Gentile, I see prophecy being fulfilled every day when I see investing in OurCrowd,” she explained.
Medved sees the summit through the lens of the Bible.
"So really on a religious level, it's a bit Biblical today because the nations are flocking to Israel. To see what we can do to tackle global challenges and bring back those lessons to their own countries."