Immigration consultant's notes. Startup to Israel.

Far not for many the state of Israel is associated with the homeland of startups, although it is unlikely that anyone will deny Israel's international reputation at the field of high technology and technological entrepreneurship.

The Israeli business community is highly unique: its characteristic representative is usually over 30 years old, studying at the university, has founded at least one of his own firms and already has experience in a large company. Its main features: focus on creating a product of the highest quality, responsibility, ability to take risks and lack of fear of failure.

The opportunity to be in such an environment to develop and promote an innovative project in it is a great success for the owner of any startup.

In order to attract new personnel, the Israeli authorities launched the Innovative Visa program, which gives the right to develop the project on one of the provided "landing sites" (Landing Pad) for two years. After this period, foreign entrepreneurs who decide to found a company in Israel (in case of authorization of the project by the authorities) get the opportunity to become holders of an “Expert Visa”, which allows working in their company for the next 5 years.

12 Landing Pads are licensed incubators & foundations scattered around the country, created to fully support startup projects.

A prerequisite for an “Innovation Visa” is approval by the selected Landing Pad and a specialized expert whose conclusions are in fact decisive.

An innovative visa does not entitle you to work in Israel. Therefore, its owner cannot receive wages or any other type of such compensation. Staying in the country of an entrepreneur is limited to working on a project with the goal of bringing it to a state of readiness when a company can already be created (or will be found) that meets the requirements of a startup.

It should be noted that the two-stage system for the development and implementation of a startup (“Innovative Visa” at the first stage followed by obtaining an “Expert Visa” at the second) has positively established itself as an effective way of adapting both the businessman himself and his project to working conditions at the same level with local entrepreneurs.

For questions about organizing Startup projects in Israel, obtaining visas, arranging financing, optimizing taxation, please contact our specialists.