263: How Israel became a world leader in food tech innovation
Whenever there's a conversation taking place about the cutting edge of the food industry, the name of one country keeps cropping up - Israel. Whether it's discussing plant-based innovations, start-ups and investment, or lab-grown meat, we’re always drawn back to Israel. For a long time, home to a sparkling array of hi-tech industry, and now a global centre of food and agri-tech. But why is Israel so central in helping to shape the future of our global food system, and how did it obtain this position? In this episode of the Table Talk podcast, we try to answer that question with the help of the Israel Innovation Authority. The Israel Innovation Authority is a government agency designed to foster the development of industrial R&D. Listen to the full episode to find out how they go about it, why it has been so successful to date, and what others countries might be able to learn. And take a peak at what's on the horizon, the projects that are getting people really excited about the future. Dr Ami Appelbaum, Chief Scientist and Chairman of the Board of Israel Innovation Authority Dr Appelbaum has more than 36 years experience in research, development and senior level management in the field of the Semiconductor. Prior to the current job as Chief Scientist, Dr Appelbaum served for 22 years at numerous executive positions at KLA Tencor, $15.6B Market Cap and world leader in the business of capital equipment for the semiconductor industry based in the Silicon Valley, CA. His most recent job was Corporate Senior Vice President and president of KLA Tencor Israel. Dr Appelbaum holds a Doctorate and Master degrees from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa and an Engineering degree from Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheba, all in the field of materials engineering. Dr Appelbaum is the author and co-author of more than 50 scientific and technical publications, and holds seven patents in the field of semiconductor equipment and processing.