What does it actually take to build a startup ecosystem — and what happens when government tries to help without getting in the way? In Part 2, Oded Barel-Sabag breaks down the anatomy of an ecosystem, the three ingredients every city needs, and what made Jerusalem's bottom-up story work.

About Oded Barel-Sabag

Oded is a serial community builder and innovation ecosystem architect based in Jerusalem. After four and a half years helping grow SIFTECH into Jerusalem's leading accelerator, he joined Jnext — the Jerusalem Development Authority's startup ecosystem program — to scale what the community had built from the institutional side.

What We Cover

• How Oded discovered SIFTECH through a letter to the mayor about a co-working space
• The community initiatives that extended SIFTECH's reach: hackathons, Creative Mornings, and more
• Why Oded left SIFTECH after four and a half years — and what he learned from the transition
• What Jnext is and why only Jerusalem has something like it
• How the Jerusalem Development Authority shifted from grants and industrial zones to ecosystem thinking
• The three ingredients of a thriving startup ecosystem: capital, know-how, and rebellion culture
• Why ecosystems are rainforests — organic, not over-planned
• The generosity mindset institutions need to adopt — and where tension still shows up

Timestamps

(02:35) Community initiatives beyond the accelerator: hackathons and Creative Mornings

(07:01) What the Jerusalem Development Authority does — and how it evolved

(11:16) The anatomy of a startup ecosystem — people, bottom-up energy, and institutions

(16:00) Three ecosystem ingredients: capital, know-how, and rebellion culture

(18:02) How Israel built its VC industry by identifying what was missing

(21:36) Generosity vs. control: what governments need to get right

(23:12) Why conflict and misalignment can be healthy

Key Takeaways

1. Ecosystems need rebellion, not just resources. Capital and know-how aren't enough. A culture that challenges the status quo is the third — and often missing — ingredient.
2. Government's job is to enable, not control. The JDA's most effective move was backing community-led initiatives rather than imposing top-down programs.
3. Build platforms for collision. Hackathons, meetups, and informal events aren't soft activities — they're the mechanism through which ecosystems compound.

Resources & Links Mentioned

• Rainforests: The Secret to Building the Next Silicon Valley — Victor W. Hwang & Greg Horowitt

Where to Find Oded Barel-Sabag LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/oded-barel-sabag-b442736/

Listen to Part 2 open.spotify.com/episode/1GuqfP8b7c7p4DMxIgv7yD

Where to Find Yaniv Corem

Link in bio: sleek.bio/yanivcorem

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yanivcorem

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