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The article discusses the efforts of universities and research institutes in Israel in developing and selling technology. Yissum, Hebrew University's technology transfer company which along with similar companies at Israel's leading academic institutions, is spawning hundreds of startups at high-tech parks all over the country. Despite Israel's socialist beginnings, the country's academic institutions began setting up tech transfer companies early, back in the 1950s and early 1960s--setting a pattern U.S. universities followed only decades later. Two of the country's leading academic institutions, Hebrew University and the Weizmann Institute of Science, are among the world's top 15 academic institutions measured by revenues from intellectual property sales.

The article discusses the role of research institutions in Israel in developing and commercializing research and technology. Ramot at Tel Aviv University, Technion Research and Development Foundation and BG Negev Technologies and Applications at Ben Gurion University are all doing technology transfer deals, though their number is still small compared to that of Hebrew University and the Weizmann Institute. While life sciences still dominate technology transfer deals, there is growing interest in computer sciences, imaging, nanotechnology, water and alternative energy. The opportunities increase for the country's research institutions. Besides selling intellectual Property, they now have the means to take stakes in some of the hundreds of startups riding on their research.