Israeli President Shimon Peres,89, has a vision: position Israel not only as the ?Startup Nation,? but also as the Brain Nation. ?There is no doubt that brain research in the next decade will revolutionize our lives and impact such major domains as medicine, education, computing, and the human mind, to name but some. Moreover, it will not only relieve the suffering of patients of such debilitating diseases as Parkinson?s and Alzheimer?s, but it will also engender large economic rewards as well.?
Israeli president Shimon Peres: ?With its reputation as a ?start-up? nation,? Israel is well-positioned to assume a leadership role in the emerging neurotechnology industry.? - photo by Mark Neeman
How serious is this? Can Israel really become the brain nation? How long would it take? Those are questions that only time will answer. However, if we analyze the profile of the key people who, inspired by the president?s talks, decided to roll up their sleeves and do some hard work, we can be quite optimistic about Israel?s chances of quickly becoming THE brain nation.
Dr. Rafi Gidron
Dr. Rafi Gidron, founder and chairman of Israel Brain Technologies (IBT), a non-profit organization created primarily to turn the president?s vision into reality. Dr. Rafi Gidron has the Midas touch: in 1997 he founded Chromatis to develop optical equipment for the telecom industry. Only 27 months later he sold it to Lucatel for $4.7 billion ? one of Israel?s most successful exits ever.
Israel already has a well developed infrastructure and culture that fosters innovation, key elements to become the brain nation. Israel is known for putting technology and science at the vanguard of its development: the country invests between 4% and 5% of its GDP on R&D every year, which happens to be the highest rate in the world. The US invest approximately 2,7% of its GDP, China 1,4% and Brazil a mere 0,9%.
I interviewed Dr. Rafi Gidron, phD from Columbia University. The serial entrepreneur, manager, and angel investor is an overachiever, to say the least. In his spare time, he practices one of the most demanding sports, triathlon. He is also an avid saxophone player and has even written a book.
Dr. Gidron has explained to me that turning Israel into the brain nation is such an ambitious goal that it requires the involvement of people of the highest caliber from different fields. In fact, Israel Brain Technologies has been founded as a non-profit given that ?only this type of organization can bring the pieces together ? the different scientific disciplines, the technologies, universities, business community. This is the way to create such an effort and have people sit around in the same table working together with a common goal.? The non-profit organization was the solution found to make these various stakeholders that not always have common goals work hand in hand to execute a proper strategy and accelerate research.
Key members of Israel Brain Technologies? international board that will be directly supporting Dr. Gidron are?Eric Kandel, Nobel prize laureate from Columbia University, ?and Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize winner in Economics and author of thinking, fast and slow ? described by the FT as ?The only masterpiece on human rationality and irrationality?- as well as multidisciplinary team including ?directors from brain research centers and physiology departments from Israel leading hospitals.?
IBT has just announced the launch of a global?B.R.A.I.N.?Prize (Breakthrough?ResearchAnd?Innovation in?Neurotechnology). The million-dollar prize will go to an individual or team throughout the world who can demonstrate an extraordinary breakthrough in brain technology with global implications. In addition, brain conferences will be held every year to discuss advancements in the field. Dr Gidron has a clear goal: ?my hope is that in 10 years we will see a brain industry in Israel similar to the high tech industry we see in in the country today.?
Even though IBT was inspired by Peres? vision,?the Brain prize was initiated by IBT, and IBT alone. Neither the IBT foundation nor the Global BRAIN Prize are the president?s initiative. However, great minds think alike and president Peres, 89, shares a similar vision:
With its reputation as a ?start-up? nation, renowned for its innovative and creative initiatives and its focus on science and technology as an engine for economic development, Israel is well-positioned to assume a leadership role in the emerging neurotechnology industry that promises to make the world a better place.
Israel could deeply benefit from becoming the brain nation: approximately 2 billion people suffer from brain related illnesses and more than $2 trillion are spent worldwide on a yearly basis to treat such problems. After learning what Google is Up To in Israel, visiting Procter and Gamble?s office in Tel Aviv and talking to one of the most influential businessman in Israel, I am convinced that Israel is the startup nation. However, if you ask me, will Israel be the brain nation? ?Again, only time will tell ? what I do know is that if Dr. Rafi Gidron is behind such a (literally) mind-blowing project, we should, at least, keep this initiative under our radar.
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