My rating:
add to my books
Loading...
Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle
by
Dan Senor,
Saul Singer
START-UP NATION addresses the trillion dollar question: How is it that Israel-- a country of 7.1 million, only 60 years old, surrounded by enemies, in a constant state of war since its founding, with no natural resources-- produces more start-up companies than large, peaceful, and stable nations like Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada and the UK?
With the savvy of foreign p...more
With the savvy of foreign p...more
Hardcover, 304 pages
Published
November 4th 2009
by Twelve
(first published 2009)
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
918)
Andrew Rosner
added it
An inspiring, terrific book. Israel is a tiny nation of seven million people with few natural resources, surrounded by countries eager for its destruction. Yet Israel has more companies listed on NASDAQ than any other country except the United States. How has it developed into a high-tech tiger in the face of such adversity? In this brief but lively account, authors Dan Senor and Saul Singer explain how Israel has made a habit of turning disadvantages into advantages through continual innovat...more
انتهيت سابقا من قراءة نسخة عربية ملخصة من الكتاب ، مترجمة بشكل تطوعي من أحد رواد الأعمال العرب
تجد هنا نسخة من الملخص المترجم:
http://almsaodi.com/?p=484
الكتاب يتحدث عن دور الشركات الناشئة في تكوين الاقتصاد الإسرائيلي ، ستكتشف أن إسرائيل متقدمة جدا في مجالات التكنولوجيا وخصوصا المتعلقة بالتسليح
الكتاب يصف الروشتة التي تتبعتها حكومات إسرائيل لدعم ريادة الاعمال
(entrepreneurship)
فيها ، عن طريق صناديق الدعم الحكومية ، وإغراء الشركات الكبري للحصول ...more
تجد هنا نسخة من الملخص المترجم:
http://almsaodi.com/?p=484
الكتاب يتحدث عن دور الشركات الناشئة في تكوين الاقتصاد الإسرائيلي ، ستكتشف أن إسرائيل متقدمة جدا في مجالات التكنولوجيا وخصوصا المتعلقة بالتسليح
الكتاب يصف الروشتة التي تتبعتها حكومات إسرائيل لدعم ريادة الاعمال
(entrepreneurship)
فيها ، عن طريق صناديق الدعم الحكومية ، وإغراء الشركات الكبري للحصول ...more
I thought I knew a lot about Israel, but the book is rich in anecdotes. The history of Israel is well described and innovation was probably a necessity to survive. If there is a point I appreciated less is the importance the authors give to the military. They may be right, that’s not the point, but I thought the topic came too often in the chapters. This remains a great book and a must read for anyone interested in high-tech innovation and entrepreneurship.
I’d like now to quote a few t...more
I’d like now to quote a few t...more
This book is about the ingredients that make up a successful entrepreneurial environment. Authors Dan Senor & Saul Singer does a good job explaining what's fascinating about Israel and unravels some of the possible sources for the incredible amount of entrepreneurship. I highly recommend this book to folks interested in entrepreneurship and international business.
Consider:
- Israel is home to high growth start-ups that transform entire industries. Israel has more companies on t...more
Consider:
- Israel is home to high growth start-ups that transform entire industries. Israel has more companies on t...more
A great book about one of the under-told stories out of the Middle East: that of the economic development of Israel from a desert filled with refugees to a dynamic high tech economy. Senor and Singer analyze Israeli culture, society and institutions in their quest to find out why, for example, so much of Intel's recent growth has come from its Israeli division, or why it is that a nation of just 7 million has had more NASDAQ IPO's than any other, but the US. The authors look at such factors as t...more
I read the following review on Amazon:
As a serial entrepreneur, VC and angel investor, and teacher of entrepreneurship for many years, I am enthralled by "Startup Nation". It is a fascinating story of how Israel has succeeded disproportionately to its size and certainly to its geographic situation. It teaches valuable and unique lessons about region building and industry building. The principles of the country that stimulate individual entrepreneurial behavior in the milita...more
As a serial entrepreneur, VC and angel investor, and teacher of entrepreneurship for many years, I am enthralled by "Startup Nation". It is a fascinating story of how Israel has succeeded disproportionately to its size and certainly to its geographic situation. It teaches valuable and unique lessons about region building and industry building. The principles of the country that stimulate individual entrepreneurial behavior in the milita...more
A friend from lab lent me this book to read over vacation. I thought it was a great read. It's very quick - double spaced, big font, and even then only ~230 pages. However, the content was quite interesting and fast paced. The authors attempt to describe what qualities of Israel culture make it ripe for the development of an entrepreneurial spirit. The case studies they give are extremely interesting in themselves, and I was left with the impression of a nation as vibrant as Silicon Valley ...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Khaya
rated it
Recommends it for:
proud zionists; businesspeople
Recommended to Khaya by:
my mother-in-law
Shelves:
israel,
readablenonfiction
A shot in the arm for a proud zionist, "Start-up Nation" asks the following question: "How is it that Israel -- a country of 7.1 million people, only sixty years old, surrounded by enemies, in a constant state of war since its founding, with no natural resources -- produces more start-up companies than large, peaceful, and stable nations like Japan, India, Korea, Canada, and the United Kingdom?" To answer this question, the authors offer a web of anecdotes illustrating the ...more
Dan Senor and Saul Singer's Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle is well researched and a fascinating read. The book is divided into four main parts:
* The Little Nation That Could
* Seeding a Culture of Innovation
* Beginnings
* Country with a Motive
In The Little Nation That Could we learn PayPal's Scott Thompson's first impressions of a young Shvat Shaked, whose young company, Fraud Sciences, developed the most up-to-date...more
* The Little Nation That Could
* Seeding a Culture of Innovation
* Beginnings
* Country with a Motive
In The Little Nation That Could we learn PayPal's Scott Thompson's first impressions of a young Shvat Shaked, whose young company, Fraud Sciences, developed the most up-to-date...more
I greatly enjoyed reading this book about how so many start-ups pop up in Israel. I loved the anecdotal story about PayPal and how a tiny Israeli company outdid their analysis on catching the "good guys and the bad guys" (and so PayPal bought the company).
The disappointment was that I don't really think this could be so easily applied to the U.S. or elsewhere. I think the authors also downplayed the Jewish element, saying that Jews in Israel are from all over. It's not abo...more
The disappointment was that I don't really think this could be so easily applied to the U.S. or elsewhere. I think the authors also downplayed the Jewish element, saying that Jews in Israel are from all over. It's not abo...more
view 2 comments
This book disappointed me on so many levels! If I can not say anything good about this book then I won’t say anything at all. O.K., maybe I’ll say just a few things. The book is tediously written to the point of almost being completely boring. The authors use quite a number of exerts from other (Jewish) people’s lives, as well as a little research thrown in, to justify their claims of 'Israeli supremacy' in the tech industry when it comes to “innovation and entrepreneurship.” The bashing of...more
This very euphoric book on Jewish supremacy on all fronts attempts to explain the reasons for the success of Israel. It's Jewish authors analyze a number of Jewish declared individuals who are successful in science, art, business and military. While bravely dismissing genetic reasons, the book focuses on peculiarities of the Jewish culture and Israeli politics to explain the phenomenon.
Having lost all faith in politics, this book has however convinced me that it is possible to have ...more
Having lost all faith in politics, this book has however convinced me that it is possible to have ...more
Start-up Nation is a fun overview of a side of Israel you don't hear much about: the incredible success of its start-up companies, traced back to:
1. the multidisciplinary army training everyone gets at age 18,
2. a culture of embracing and learning from failure,
3. all those Jewish immigrants from places like Russia that show up with science and engineering degrees looking for something to do, and of course
4. Jewish chutzpah!
The book also helped me understand better ...more
1. the multidisciplinary army training everyone gets at age 18,
2. a culture of embracing and learning from failure,
3. all those Jewish immigrants from places like Russia that show up with science and engineering degrees looking for something to do, and of course
4. Jewish chutzpah!
The book also helped me understand better ...more
A great book - I knew virtually nothing about Israel, and while this really would never suffice as a good political history book, it does cover a lot in regards to the economic history, with some politics and ethnography for context.
Perhaps more importantly, the book seems to do a good job of describing Israeli business culture, especially how it related to Israeli military culture.
I enjoyed the book - expect the same kind of writing as Fahreed Zakaria or Tom Friedman. Start-...more
Perhaps more importantly, the book seems to do a good job of describing Israeli business culture, especially how it related to Israeli military culture.
I enjoyed the book - expect the same kind of writing as Fahreed Zakaria or Tom Friedman. Start-...more
Dimitri
added it
Thought they understated the impact of the Jewish culture in accounting for Israel's success. Very interesting stuff, however, in terms of the lack of hierarchy (arising from Israel's military) and how Israelis like to argue and debate. Good look at how those factors contribute to making Israel successful. Also interesting how much of the innovation arose out of necessity - it's a really interesting contrast with the Arab world, where oil might be as much of a curse as a blessing. Ben-Gurion...more
Corinne E. Blackmer
rated it
This is a must read for people interested in what policies might actually work to combat environmental disaster, economic decline, and the erosion of civil society. Israel, a nation of little over seven million people, has more companies on NASDAQ than all of Europe combined; its military veterans, far from succumbing to homelessness and PTSD, are groomed as successful heads of start up companies that specialize in innovation and risk-taking. The authors set out to explain and elucidate these an...more
My brother thinks I liked this book because I'm a Zionist. Possible. But I also was impressed that a book about finance and economics could keep my interest. Start-up Nation is a very interesting read for someone new to Israel, but I also think my American friends would enjoy it, especially given the current state of the US economy. This book showcases Israel's military society and the effect that culture has had on entrepaneurship. It also articulates the sense of eagerness to try something ne...more
I posted a long review on the O'Reilly Media blog (http://radar.oreilly.com/2010/02/innovat...) but I'll just say here that this gives very solid background on a phenomenon that many have noted but few tried to understand: Israel's recent success as an incubator for tech companies that really change how people do things around the world. It has tips for people who want to start innovative companies, but it's really aimed at policy-makers and ordinary people who want to create a more creative and...more
This was an awesome book. Senor and Singer clearly search for what makes Israel such a start-up powerhouse (as well as an invention powerhouse). It's such a unique combination that ties culture, experience, locale, and ethics into the mix. It's that unique combination which makes it difficult for a similar situation from taking root in, say, South Korea, Singapore, or Dubai...even with all the money that is spent in trying to create this unique environment. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this ...more
Pretty charming for a one-sided one-note plug for the VC-backed start-up industry in Israel. Even though the whole thing felt like a powerpoint presentation (invest in Israel!), the authors do a surprisingly great job of making you excited about the great ideas coming out of Israel and why it's all happening (annual military service, country of go-getter immigrants, investment in technical education, chutzpah, lack of complacency brought on by constant political chaos, desire to move technology...more
I read this book on a whim because it had the words "startup" and "entrepreneur" on the jacket. Turns out it was a good book to pick up.
It was interesting to see just how much culture goes influences innovation, especially in the case of Israel. It pretty much seems that most Israelis are born to be entrepreneurs and the society and culture just helps to re-enforce the fact.
I thought it was a good book to read, and i opened my eyes to a whole differe...more
It was interesting to see just how much culture goes influences innovation, especially in the case of Israel. It pretty much seems that most Israelis are born to be entrepreneurs and the society and culture just helps to re-enforce the fact.
I thought it was a good book to read, and i opened my eyes to a whole differe...more
Alex
marked it as to-read
This book--or actually, the story it tells--sounds fascinating. The book, which a reviewer compares to a Malcolm Gladwell work, discusses and reviews the economic achievements of Israeli engineers and businessmen. Israel is literally surrounded by enemies, only has 7 million people, and has virtually no natural resources, yet attracts far more venture capital per person than any country in the world. It has more companies listed on the NASDAQ than any country except the U.S. How is this possib...more
Another quick read. Kind of got cornered into reading it by a neighbor who I was chatting with at a wedding reception and who meant it when she said that she was going to drop it off. But I am glad that I did. Until I read the book, I did not fully appreciate the role of entrepreneurship in Israel and was not aware of its sources. This book helped to update my information about the Israeli economy and Israeli society. Despite several trips to Israel, much of the information that I had was based ...more
Start Up Nation, Dan Senor and Saul Singer
What has made Israel such a successful country? The Israelis approach entrepreneurship in a very unique way. They do not fear failure or recriminations for failure. They pick up and start again, persevere and have unremitting focus in their effort to succeed.
Members of the military start many of the businesses. They are selected carefully for their jobs in the military, (right out of high school, as they prepare for mandatory service)…after ri...more
What has made Israel such a successful country? The Israelis approach entrepreneurship in a very unique way. They do not fear failure or recriminations for failure. They pick up and start again, persevere and have unremitting focus in their effort to succeed.
Members of the military start many of the businesses. They are selected carefully for their jobs in the military, (right out of high school, as they prepare for mandatory service)…after ri...more
Upom
rated it
Shelves:
israel,
middle-east,
business,
entrepreneurship,
economics,
policy,
sociology,
culture,
international-affairs,
nonfiction
Senor presents a really interesting thesis in this book: Israel is a truly a nation of entrepreneurship. Israel has the highest startup density of any nation, and extremely impressive economic growth (fifty-fold in 60 years). Senor explains this amazing economy as a result of its institutions and its culture. Among the key takeaways was that Israel's military plays a a large part in entrepreneurship by providing Israelis early critical leadership experience, advanced technical training, a flatte...more
I was very excited about this book when I found out that I'd won it from Goodreads Giveaways (First Reads). The description given in the giveaway section drew me in; a book about Israel and business had to be just awesome!
Diving right in to it the day I got it, I immediately knew my expectations would be met. However, I didn't know how much they'd be exceeded. The book is extremely well written and edited; while I was reading, I encountered maybe one minor grammatical mistake—an extr...more
Diving right in to it the day I got it, I immediately knew my expectations would be met. However, I didn't know how much they'd be exceeded. The book is extremely well written and edited; while I was reading, I encountered maybe one minor grammatical mistake—an extr...more
In the last two decades Israel, the Biblical land of miracles, has experienced an economic miracle of a sort. It is now the site of thousands of high-tech start-ups, what authors Senor and Si9nger call "the highest density of start-ups in the world."
So, what is Israel's secret sauce? How can this nation of 7 million people have more companies listed on NASDAQ than does the entire continent of Europe?
In part it's a matter of culture (chutzpah and drive), and i...more
So, what is Israel's secret sauce? How can this nation of 7 million people have more companies listed on NASDAQ than does the entire continent of Europe?
In part it's a matter of culture (chutzpah and drive), and i...more
I started reading this book after Hewlett Packard flew our team out to Israel to look at their printing facilities. It looks at the near term history of Israel and their rocket launch into being a tech giant in the world despite being surrounded by desert and countries that hate them. The book is focused on the entrepreneurial spirit and what factors in the environment lead to such a fast success amidst so much turmoil and uncertainty.
This was an interesting read. It gave a detailed explanation on how a country the size of Israel, surrounded by enemies and with little natural resources, developed its economy and has become almost recession proof. It reinforces the idea of heavy investment in education and Research & Development Programs and how those two factors really drive an economy and a country's foreign policy.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
