Executives from three leading-edge Bay Area cleantech companies will examine Israel's role as a pioneer in green technology innovations during a panel discussion Wednesday, Oct. 13, at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley.
Haas Dean Rich Lyons will make opening remarks at the event, titled "Greener, Brighter, and Better: Israeli Innovation for Global Cleantech Solutions." It will run from 5:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. in room 250 of the Goldman School, located at 2607 Hearst Ave. Admission is free, and light refreshments will be served.
The panel discussion was inspired by the book Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle, which looks at how the small country has one of the highest rates of startup companies per capita in the world, said Tal Amiel, MPP 11, who organized the event and is a member of the International Public Policy Group, a Goldman School student club.
Goldman School Dean Henry Brady will moderate the panel, which will feature:
- Opening remarks by Israel Consul General Akiva Tor and Dean Lyons, who will discuss the importance of business innovation in addressing social and public policy problems such as lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
- Eric Weiss, senior vice president for GreenRoad Technologies of Redwood Shores and Israel, which has developed a system for reducing crash rates and improving fuel economy in commercial fleets through sensors and in-vehicle driver coaching.
- Joshua Bar-Lev, vice president for regulatory affairs for BrightSource Energy of Oakland, which has large-scale solar generation projects underway in the Southwest, and a high-temperature solar development center in Israel's Negev Desert.
- Amit Nisenbaum, global operations strategist for Better Place, a Palo Alto startup launching electric vehicle support networks in Denmark and Israel.
The event is co-sponsored by the Goldman School, the Consulate General of Israel, The International Public Policy Group, and the Haas School.