Israel UAE | Business Guide | 2021

as a conduit to neighboring countries. In exchange, the UAE’s partnership with Israel, should it continue to ride out this wave of success, will inevitably bring the UAE that much closer to Europe. As Israel has for so longactedas the hub-and-model of tradebetween theEUand theUS, so toowill Israel be able to assist in further connecting the Gulf to the European continent. Already Israel is creating the ties that bind with Europe, as the continent expands itsmandates in Israel in an effort to be closer to Israel’s tech scene. To provideapersonal example, iAngels launched its first institutional fund in 2019 , anchored by the European Investment Fund, the largest investment arm in Europe and one of theworld’smost significant institutional investors. As Israeli business tieswith theUAE continue to deepen, the UAE will find itself enmeshed with the Europeans. For some of our investors, this linkage hits close to home.Whereas historically, angel investors financed innovation locally, today’s world is flat as venture investing breaks down borders proliferating technologies across state lines. In realizing that oil and gas are slowly coming to a head, the UAE and other Arab countries need a new policy which extends beyond identity, connecting neighboring countries with regard to infrastructure, science, entrepreneurship, and economic dynamism, in order to stay relevant in a fossil fuel-less century. TheUAEare at the forefront of this development, and are leading the charge for the region to follow suit. The AbrahamAccords put the Middle East on a new track, where the triangle between Europe, Israel and the UAE is closing in. Interestingly, Iwas remindedonseveral occasions, that Israel and theUAE are not all that different. Our countries are founded on the principles of faith and tradition, our geographical structure is such that both the UAE and Israel are long and thin leading to similar strategic needs, andwefind ourselves in the same corner of theworld, with a comparable climate as well as water and agricultural challenges. In Israel, innovation iswhat inspiresour youth and drives our economy. From a young age, we are encouraged to challenge the normand take the road less traveled. As the new generation in theUAE steps into leadership roles, it is becoming increasingly clear that in order to develop and maximize potential, breaking norms can no longer be frowned upon. The risinggeneration is thatmuchmore interested in collaborating with Israelis who inspire thismentality. Reflecting on this experience, I remain confident in the plentiful and fruitful seeds being laid for collaboration. The region is thirsty to engage in technology and burgeoning business relationships that accompany it. Sectors such as energy, smart cities, automotive, education and digital health are at the epicenter of this discussion. Even at this initial stage, some immediate engagement around investment and deployment of tech was discussed. As the geopolitical triangle winds tighter, I look toward a healthy, successful and prosperous 2021 . Thewriter is Founding Partner and Co- CEO of iAngels, a venture capital firm and investment platform that offers accredited investorsworldwideexclusive access to tech startups and scaleup investment opportunities originated in Israel and curated through a streamlined due-diligence process. Through iAngels’ various investment offerings, investors can choose to invest in specific startups, create a personalized VC portfolio of tech companies or join our iNgenuity Fund, an institutional fund backed by the European Investment Fund, partnering with some of the highest caliber entrepreneurs in the nation. Learn more about iAngels at www.iangels.com, or reach out to the author at mor@iangels.com 33