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I disagree. Israel is unique in terms of it's human capital. Tech companies have locations there for the same reasons they have locations in Oxford and Cambridg
by Aromasin 5y ago
I disagree. Israel is unique in terms of it's human capital. Tech companies have locations there for the same reasons they have locations in Oxford and Cambridge in the UK. There are 135 per 10,000 people employed as engineers there, compared to the next closest which is the US at 70 per 10k. That would already be a unique draw for Intel, if it weren't for the original reason they set up shop there; Dov Frohman. He was the first GM at Intel (also the inventor of EPROM), and wanted to relocate there to accept a Professorship. They didn't want to lose him, so they agreed to let him open an R&D lab there. This ended up being a huge success (they designed the 8087 there) and they continued to grow on that success, to the point where Intel is now the largest private employer in Israel.
I recommend Asianometry's video essay on Intel's success in Israel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lEgJQgAw3g&t=894s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lEgJQgAw3g&t=894s
He also covers the rise of such silicon manufacturing in Taiwan - which I also disagree on it being geo-politically motivated, with it being successful long before it's national identity came under threat from mainland China.
- throwaway4good 5y agoI think the issue of "how to reunite the rogue republic of Taiwan with the motherland" predates silicon manufactoring in Taiwan by a few years :-D