Ashdod Port Company held a unique innovation conference on Thursday, March 3,
2022, in collaboration with the international venture capital firm 500 Global and Ee Ling Lim, the firm's Executive Director of Global Programs, who is considered one of the leading women in the Asian high-tech sector. Since its founding, 500 Global has backed over 6,000 technological entrepreneurs representing more than 2,500 companies operating in 77 countries. Our portfolio includes 45 companies valued at over $1 billion and 125 companies valued at over $100 million.
In the first part of the conference, sixteen startups presented their initiatives. Ten startups were then selected to officially enter Ashdod Port's acceleratory program, managed by 500 Global; and they will also be assisted by the port's employees, with the goal of making sure the technological solutions offered by the startups address the needs on the ground.
The participating startups come from the fields of operations and logistics, as well security, sustainability and business development.
Ashdod Port held the conference with the goal of continuing to improve its competitiveness and enhancing its technological abilities, with the goal of addressing global challenges such as global supply chain delays. Technology innovation can help reduce backlogs and improve functionality. The conference offers another opportunity to reinforce Ashdod Port's status as a competitive global leader in shipping technology, through long-term collaboration between the port's team and the startups selected for the accelerator.
Shiko Zana, CEO of Ashdod Port: “ We decided to focus on being a technological port so that we can be more competitive. The startups were carefully selected by a team of experts from 500 Global and the companies that were selected are the most promising companies, who can help improve our efficiency, increase safety and productivity, and develop additional business opportunities ".
Ee Ling Lim, 500 Global's Executive Director of Global Programs added: “We are excited by the fact that the technology that we are seeing today is able to connect startups with Ashdod Port and by the fact that it helps create a smart competitive port with the potential to create a revolution in the port sector and in the maritime industry".