FRENCH PRESIDENT SARKOZY VISITS JVP

Jerusalem, Israel. June 8th, 2015 

Former President of France Nicolas Sarkozy visited today the Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) Media Quarter in Jerusalem as the guest of JVP’s founder and MK Dr. Erel Margalit to learn more about Israeli innovation, entrepreneurship and about the cutting-edge cyber-security technologies emerging from the country.

JVP is Israel’s leading venture capital firm, established by current Knesset Member Dr. Erel Margalit in 1993. The JVP Media Quarter is a unique hub of innovation with over 200 entrepreneurs creating world-leading companies in the areas of cyber-security, media, mobile and storage technologies, among others. 

During the visit, President Sarkozy met with numerous start-ups developing cutting edge technologies including big-data innovator ThetaRay and reputation management company REPN’UP. Sarkozy also met with French entrepreneurs based in Israel on the key differences between the entrepreneurial ecosystems.
President Sarkozy expressed great interest in the innovation and creativity on display. He said that Israel has created an amazing country via its entrepreneurship and technological achievements, calling it “a true partner” to France.

MK Margalit, who joined President Sarkozy on his visit, said that Israeli prowess in cyber-security is helping protect the world from the ever-growing threat. “Each and every citizen, from Paris, to London and New York, is threatened by cyber-attacks, even if they are not aware,” said Margalit. “Cyber terror is the most serious threat to the free world, no less than the nuclear threat. Fundamentalist terrorists are arming themselves more and more with cyber weapons. The leaders of the free world need to stand together against the boycott of Israel, because you simply can’t boycott the very people leading the free world against this dangerous form of modern terror, terror which threatens each and every one of us.”

During the visit, Sarkozy asked JVP Managing Partner Gadi Tirosh what makes Israel the “Start-Up Nation,” to which Tirosh described Israel’s unique culture, resilience in the face of challenges as well as its entrepreneurs’ quest to go global from inception. 
At the end of the visit, Sarkozy told reporters that he has been an avid supporter of Israel for years. “Israel has been the fight of my life,” he said.

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