The Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) just published a lengthy article about the cleantech scene in Israel. JTA articles are republished in Jewish newspapers around the world, and it is nice to see Israel’s cleantech sector getting publicity in the Diaspora. For another example, see Karin Kloosterman’s interview in the New Vilna Review.

I am quoted in the article — as a cleantech blogger and an organizer of the Cleantech Israel meetup group — alongside industry players including Dov Raviv (CEO of MST), Yael Cohen-Paran (Director of the Israel Energy Forum), Yossi Abramowitz (Chairman of the Arava Power Company), Prof. David Faiman of Ben-Gurion University, and Dr. Isaac Berzin (Founder of GreenFuel Technologies).

The entire article is available online. Here is the section that includes my quote:

“Turning Israel into a center for clean technology could build new bridges between Israel and Diaspora Jews, says Jonathan Shapira, a recent American law school graduate living in Tel Aviv who organizes monthly meetings for entrepreneurs interested in clean tech and writes a blog on the subject.

As an example, Shapira cited the business park for renewable energy firms being built in the Arava with funding from Toronto’s Jewish community.

“Rather than just making a charitable donation, people are helping create the infrastructure for economic growth and a cleaner environment in Israel,” Shapira said.

(Image credit: YDoron)

Time Magazine included Berzin in its list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2008, and Fortune Magazine also published a flattering article about the company, which has raised tens of millions of dollars in venture capital. Just last week the company raised another $13.9 million from Access Private Equity, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and Polaris Venture Partners.

Now back in Israel and a senior faculty member at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Berzin is busy establishing an Israel-based international institute to formulate an alternative energy policy.

With the thriving market for growing algae as a source of energy – more than 250 companies and universities are engaged in this sphere – Berzin has decided to focus on setting policy. “I want Israel to become an international center of knowledge in the realm of alternative energy. The world is looking for solutions in this sphere, and in my view Israel is in a very special position. The toolbox that is needed to create solutions of this kind is here.”

For more clean technology see: Israel’s 12th Annual Cleantech Expo Israel Cleantech Ventures Exceeds Its Own Expectations New “Cleantech Israel” Group Meets in Herzliya

The event featured a presentation by Alon Tamari, Co-CEO of SolarPower Israel — the largest solar integration company in Israel — followed by time for networking by the ~70 people in attendance.  

The group’s first event in March included presentations by Jack Levy, General Partner at Israel Cleantech Ventures, and Eran Yarkoni, Founder and CEO of EnStorage, a company developing an innovative fuel cell technology.

Similar networking groups exist in other emerging clean technology clusters, like Boston and Silicon Valley, and I am excited about the prospects for a group in Israel. 

With almost 500 cleantech-related companies, and venture capital firms with hundreds of millions of dollars to invest in the industry, there is certainly a lot to discuss.

For more information about Cleantech Israel, please visit the group’s web page or feel free to contact me.

Related Prophecies: Green Profits.