When Karin Mayer Rubinstein left the corporate legal world to lead Israel Advanced Technology Industries Association (IATI) over a decade ago, she brought with her a rare skill set.
She is able to serve as the “eyes and ears” for multinational giants such as Boeing and Novartis in Israel’s complex high-tech ecosystem, having been the go-to person for global corporations navigating the country’s innovation landscape.
At IATI, she set out to do something bigger – synchronize the voices of venture capital, start-ups, and multinational companies into one unified chorus.
“We are the voice of the industry,” Rubinstein told The Jerusalem Post. “Our goal is to promote business continuity and make it easier to do business in Israel.”
Building independence and resilience
IATI is a non-profit funded entirely by its members, Israeli and foreign VC funds, unicorns, growth companies, and multinational R&D centers. That independence, Rubinstein explains, allows the organization to “choose our battles and work in a fast, dynamic way.”
Israel is host to one of the largest concentrations of multinational companies outside of the United States, with Amazon, Apple, Intel, Meta, and leading pharma and medtech firms all maintaining significant operations. IATI’s role is to ensure that this diverse ecosystem speaks with one voice, especially in times of crisis.
The past five years have tested that resilience: From the COVID pandemic through the judicial reforms and the Israel-Hamas War, IATI coordinated industry-wide requests to Israel’s tax authorities, securing measures that kept venture capital funds flowing – and start-ups alive.
“We knew how to operate and bring about the process faster and more efficiently – even in times of panic,” Rubinstein recalls.
But the war presented a different challenge. Investments plummeted in 2023, with early-stage start-ups increasingly incorporating abroad.
IATI responded by working closely with the Innovation Authority, Finance Ministry, and tax authorities to craft an emergency plan. In January 2024, the government approved half a billion shekels in incentives and allocated NIS 4 billion to strengthen local VC funds.
“This was the private-public partnership at its best,” Rubinstein says. “It showed what IATI is all about.”
Recovery and reform
By 2024, investments rebounded to $20 billion, returning to pre-war levels. In 2025, growth accelerated, with at least $7 billion more invested, compared to the previous year. Over the past decade, Israel’s hi-tech sector has seen investments soar from $40 billion to $90 billion.
Still, the war left scars. Israel’s hi-tech brands suffered internationally, with quiet boycotts from foreign companies wary of doing business in the country. Yet loyalty from investors and multinational partners proved decisive. President Isaac Herzog personally thanked IATI, along with more than 100 CEOs of multinational branches, for their resilience during the war.
Most recently, IATI spearheaded a landmark tax reform for VC funds, multinational companies, and employees relocating back to Israel. Rubinstein believes this will dramatically increase investor certainty and even encourage Israelis who left during the war to return.
Expanding horizons
IATI has also established a new defense tech committee to integrate stakeholders under one umbrella, working with MAFAT and the IDF to define a national strategy. “I’m very proud of this committee,” Rubinstein says. “It’s about mapping the gaps and building a stronger ecosystem.”
Looking outward, IATI is preparing for normalization with Saudi Arabia under the Abraham Accords. Already, it has signed an MOU with Bahrain in fintech and is planning similar agreements in other regional markets. “We are working as if normalization will happen tomorrow morning,” Rubinstein emphasizes.
A global message
Rubinstein also serves as a member of the Board of Governors of The Jewish Agency, representing the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). In this role, she works to strengthen collaboration between Israel and Jewish communities around the world, combining technological innovation with a commitment to Jewish identity and global connection.
She places great importance on fostering ties between Israeli hi-tech and the Jewish Diaspora, promoting joint ventures in entrepreneurship and investment, and advancing Israel as a global technology powerhouse with a deep sense of national and social responsibility.
As such, IATI is also expanding internationally, with its flagship MIXIII medtech conference launching a mini-edition in Miami this January. Recent meetups have brought together 150 VCs, multinational CEOs, and ambassadors from 70 countries, all aimed at strengthening Israel’s competitiveness.
Rubinstein’s message to the world is clear: “Come back to Israel. Come invest in the best companies and the best technologies.
“The state of Israel, after the war, is at a historic opportunity point. Together, we can do so much.”