JERUSALEM, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) said in a statement on Tuesday that it will fund programs that help train Arab-Israeli entrepreneurs in the hi-tech industry.
The plan, at a total cost of 18 million shekels (4.95 million U.S. dollars), will provide grants for innovative programs aimed at training entrepreneurs in research and medical institutions with at least 50-percent Arab-Israeli representation, according to the statement.
Support will be provided for training programs that develop potential human capital for the establishment of startups, cultivate candidates for entrepreneurship, and expand leadership in the ideation and startup phases.
The programs may include exposure to technological trends such as artificial intelligence, climate-related technologies, and biotechnology, it added.
The plan will also support the promotion of women in hi-tech and training enterprises, with a focus on the Arab community.
In 2022, the proportion of Arab workers in Israeli hi-tech was less than 2 percent, even though the Arab society constitutes more than 20 percent of Israel's population, according to an IIA report.
Women made up about 34 percent of all Israeli workers in the hi-tech sector last year, according to the report. ■
