The Hidden History Behind Israel's Biggest Industry ft. Meir Valman

Everyone knows Israel as the Startup Nation.

Very few people know how it actually became one.

Most people credit Unit 8200, venture capital, or the 1990s tech boom. Meir Valman argues the story starts much earlier, with universities founded before the State of Israel, the country's first computer, government investment in research, and decades of knowledge flowing between Israel and Silicon Valley.

In this conversation with Yoel Israel, we discuss:

• Why universities came before military technology units

• Albert Einstein's connection to Israel's first computer

• The role of the Office of the Chief Scientist

• How the Yozma program created Israel's VC ecosystem

• Why Silicon Valley and Israeli founders connected so naturally

• What Soviet immigration changed

• Why marketing, design, and customer service mattered as much as engineering

• Whether Israel is still the Startup Nation