As an Israeli, my first encounter with sub-Saharan Africa was as a backpacker some 15 years ago. During that journey, I found myself navigating two conflicting emotions: deep gratitude and deep frustration. I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for being born in Israel, where modern infrastructure, a functioning public health system, and education were provided.

As I traveled from Ethiopia to South Africa by public transportation, that gratitude was met with the reality of those whose opportunities were shaped by their circumstances, not by their abilities.

I saw firsthand that while intelligence and drive are evenly distributed around the world, opportunity is not.

When running water is a luxury and preventable diseases are a common cause of family grief, it becomes impossible not to ask: What role can innovation – and particularly Israeli innovation – play in expanding opportunity and shaping a more just world?

Sharing technology

My understanding of responsibility and inequality was shaped long before I encountered these challenges abroad. Growing up in Israel within a socialist Zionist youth movement and living in a communal setting until my mid-20s, I internalized the values of social justice, collective responsibility, and the drive to reduce inequality.

These principles continue to guide me today in my work at the Nura Global Innovation Lab, bridging Israeli innovation with global development challenges. They inform how my colleagues and I approach the global potential of our ecosystem, particularly as we consider how best to extend technology to communities facing food insecurity, water scarcity, and fragile health systems – challenges remarkably similar to those that Israel overcame in its early decades.

They also prompt us to ask inclusive questions about how we can contribute responsibly to supporting communities in need while promoting sustainable development in low- and middle-income countries.

On paper, Israeli technologies offer solutions that can genuinely improve lives. From drip irrigation systems that conserve water in arid regions to mobile health platforms that reach patients in remote areas, our “can-do” approach leads to scientific breakthroughs that boost agricultural productivity, improve health outcomes, and strengthen resilience in times of crisis.

In theory, there are countless creative ways Israeli technology can strengthen economies and build long-term capacity.

High-income countries

For decades, Israel has been celebrated as the Start-Up Nation. Our ingenuity, born of scarce resources and geopolitical isolation, has transformed industries globally.

Yet, historically, much of our tech industry has focused on high-income countries. When innovations do reach low-income markets – which happens far too rarely – they often fail to account for local circumstances, long-term sustainability, or the actual needs of the communities they are meant to serve.

Market limitations, gaps in government infrastructure, and a dearth of dedicated funding exacerbate these challenges.

But there is an underlying theme we cannot overlook: Technology transfer only creates meaningful, lasting change when it is implemented thoughtfully and ethically, through local partnerships and a long-term commitment to impact.

We have learned that the companies succeeding in these markets – both financially and socially – work closely with local partners: entrepreneurs, NGOs, private sector leaders, research institutes, and governments.

Through this collaboration, solutions are co-designed and adapted using local insights rather than simply exported. Listening and sustained engagement are essential to ensuring that innovation provides lasting progress rather than a temporary fix.

Responsible innovation

Across Israel, a growing network of organizations is actively engaging with these questions. Initiatives like OLAM’s Aspire program support Israeli and Jewish organizations in strengthening ethical, impact-driven practices. Rooted in Jewish values, these efforts help to ensure that innovation is paired with thoughtful, sustainable outcomes.

Israel's Tech Success Must Now Meet Global Responsibility... Continue reading

Hagit Freud is Managing Director of Nura Global Innovation Lab, an OLAM partner. This opinion piece was originally published in The Jerusalem Report on April 14, 2026.