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Key people at Inno-Negev.
Inno-Negev is an incubator and venture creator based in Beersheba, Negev region, Israel, specializing in building and investing in top-tier early-stage Israeli DeepTech startups. The organization provides a comprehensive 360° support system, encompassing direct investment, project development, educational programs, and strategic connections to both local and global investors and organizations, effectively leveraging the unique Negev innovation ecosystem to foster regional high-tech growth. It operates as a joint venture, notably partnering with Ben-Gurion University's Bengis Center for Entrepreneurship and BGN Technologies Ltd., the university's technology transfer company. Arnon Columbus serves as the CEO of Inno-Negev, while Netta Cohen leads BGN Technologies. This initiative, launched as the first technology accelerator project of its kind in the Negev by Ben-Gurion University, was established in 2020.
Key people at Inno-Negev.
Inno-Negev (also referred to as InNegev or Inno-Negev Ltd.) is Israel's pioneering technology incubator and accelerator based in the Negev region, focused on nurturing early-stage DeepTech startups.[1][2][3] It acts as a venture creator that goes beyond funding by providing immersive programs, industry partnerships, and ecosystem leverage to transform innovative ideas into commercially viable ventures with national and global impact.[2][4] Key sectors include DeepTech, with an emphasis on top-tier Israeli innovation to drive regional growth in the Negev.[1][2]
The organization supports aspiring entrepreneurs and pre-seed startups through refined programs, while offering investors access to a momentum-building portfolio; it differentiates from traditional VC by integrating support from academia, industry, and beyond.[2]
Inno-Negev emerged as the first technology accelerator in Israel's Negev region, closely tied to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), aiming to foster hi-tech development in an underserved area.[3][4][5] It provides startups and entrepreneurs with essential tools and unique support to boost viability, marking its early cycles with milestones like completing its second batch and showcasing innovations.[5][6]
Pivotal moments include producing 11 new startups in one cycle and evolving into InNegev Ltd., a dedicated incubator redefining DeepTech venture creation.[1][4] Leadership includes figures like Yotam Livny and Eli Bensimon on the board, with team members such as Shir Levy, reflecting a blend of regional expertise and broader networks.[2]
Inno-Negev stands out through these key strengths:
Inno-Negev rides the DeepTech wave in Israel, capitalizing on the Negev's untapped potential amid global demand for advanced tech like AI, cybersecurity, and materials science.[1][2] Timing aligns with Israel's push for peripheral innovation—countering Tel Aviv's dominance—while market forces like government incentives for regional development and BGU's research prowess amplify its reach.[4][5]
It influences the ecosystem by decentralizing startup activity, producing viable ventures (e.g., 11 new ones per cycle), and bridging entrepreneurs to global investors, thus strengthening Israel's "Startup Nation" beyond urban centers.[3][6]
Inno-Negev is poised to scale its DeepTech portfolio amid rising early-stage funding needs, with events like "Kick-Start Your Year" signaling aggressive networking and growth initiatives into 2025.[2] Trends like AI-driven DeepTech and regional tech hubs will propel it, potentially evolving into a major feeder for Israel's VC pipeline while deepening Negev's role in national innovation.
This positions Inno-Negev as a catalyst for equitable tech growth, turning peripheral ideas into global contenders—much like its founding mission to redefine VC from the Negev outward.[1][2]
