Kaizen’s Smart-X project forged impactful cross-border collaborations, leveraging startup entrepreneurship to unite Palestinians and Israelis and drive success in the region.
Kaizen implemented the Smart-X project in Israel and the West Bank to use startup entrepreneurship as a vehicle to create mutually beneficial cross-border cooperation between Palestinians and Israelis. Kaizen supported the formation and growth of 10 jointly funded Israeli-Palestinian startup ventures through awareness-raising, matchmaking, networking, and business acceleration activities.
Highlights
- Formation and growth of 10 jointly funded Israeli-Palestinian startups
- Attraction of regional and international investments amounting to $90,000
- Securing of private clients and conducting formal business by startups
- Awarding of one USAID grant to a new business
The success of these startup companies served as a catalyst for reducing the social distance between the two sides and provided successes that are forming the basis of communications and outreach campaigns for other entrepreneurs and their communities.
Kaizen’s approach to this project consisted of three steps:
- Entrepreneur trust-building and matchmaking, including cross-border collaboration and joint presentations
- Business plan competition, which incentivized dialogue, mutual understanding, and entrepreneurial partnership and led to scalable company concepts
- Business acceleration and support for selected startups, including seed funding and tailored guidance
All 10 cofounded startups graduated from the Kaizen accelerator program in May 2016, the culmination of which was a Demo Day for potential investors and members of the Smart-X network along and beyond both sides of the Green Line. Among this initial cohort, several of the more mature businesses were already attracting investment, both in the region and internationally, while others began securing private clients and conducting formal business; one succeeded in becoming a USAID grantee on a West Bank project.
At a glance
Client
Status
Past
Location
West Bank
Services
Innovation and entrepreneurship, economic growth, peace, stabilization, and resilience
