President Shimon Peres and Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Benjamin Ben-Eliezer yesterday opened the Tomorrow's Industries Exhibition at the 2009 President's Conference in Jerusalem.
At the opening ceremony, Ben-Eliezer said, "It's a great honor for me to participate in the opening of the Industries of Tomorrow Exhibition initiated by His Honor President Peres, which presents the fruits of development of Israeli entrepreneurs in the industries of tomorrow. To our regret, our country is not blessed with many natural resources or vast expanses like many of our neighbors. The main growth engine driving Israel's economic development is primarily our human capital."
Ben-Eliezer added, "The name of the exhibition is "Tomorrow's Industries", but in many fields and technologies, in Israel, tomorrow is already here."
Ben-Eliezer continued, "I want to take this opportunity to announce the publication of two tenders. One is for the setting up of a renewable energy center in the Negev, and the other is for setting up a water technologies center at Sde Boker, for research, testing, and demonstrating Israel's great capabilities in these fields."
Ben-Eliezer said that the tender for the renewable energy center would be published next week, and the tender for the water technologies center would be published in six weeks.
In addition to the Ministry of Industry, the centers will be financed by the Ministries of Finance, National Infrastructures, and Development of the Negev and Galilee. The government will invest NIS 57 million in the renewable energy center and NIS 35 million in the water technologies center
The centers will operate at several levels: applied research in collaboration with universities; establishment of technology-industry ventures; and the testing and demonstrating of the technologies in the field.
While the government decided to set up the water technologies center at Sde Boker, the site of the renewable energy center has not yet been decided, but it will be either in the Negev or Arava
The tenders' winners will have to match the government investment in the centers. The government is seeking franchisees which will have a range of skills to assist and support projects to technological and business maturity. The franchisees are required to have international technological and business experience in the industry, the financial wherewithal and ability to raise capital for ventures at the centers, experience in operating a center of this kind, and own the land where the center will be located. The franchise period for operating the centers is five years.
The exhibition will display selected Israeli inventions and enterprises in a range of industries. Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute CEO Avi Hefetz and Selection Committee chairman Shuki Gleitman also participated at the opening ceremony.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 21, 2009
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