Carmel Market Night Life & Legal Graffiti @ TLV #6

Semi-Legal grafitti on Nahalat Binyamin pedestrian street (near Carmel Market)

or Israel's Secret in Economic and Technology Competitiveness- Lively Night Life

When most Tel Avivians curl up under fluffy down comforters (there is a term in Hebrew which describes curling up under a down on a cold night) - parts of the city just start buzzing with activity. Around the Carmel market, Tel Aviv's large open air produce shopping district, cafes, restaurants and all kind of off-beat shops welcome a different kind of crowd. Mostly young, more visitors and European techies than in other parts of Tel Aviv, they start an evening of quiet drinking, eating and sometimes business meetings. These meetings are usually based on personal relationships, more than just meetings held in offices. I call this hidden element in Israeli culture one of Israel's secret technology advantage. Personal connections in business not common anywhere else. While in silicon valley start-ups are well funded and do their business negotiation in modern facilities, when New York entrepreneurs connect in Brooklyn bars, in Boston they have Harvard square out-of-the-way joints, Tel Avivians conduct business over a small plate at night with a beer or cup of coffee.  

Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Needs Funky Entertainment

Israel's technology industry keeps vital with "new blood" (or "fresh flesh") infusion on a continuous basis. Not only from within Israel, but just as much from foreign countrie. For at last two decades, European and American technologists, investors and business entrepreneurs of all kind (including a few curiosity seekers) have been making Tel Aviv their home. But without a place to live, entertain and relax, making connections between people would have been a problem. Tel Aviv was not up to speed when it came to late night entertainment for foreigners. Most of Tel Aviv's commercial and residential districts shut down around 9 PM. But the hi-tech / bio-tech / fin-tech / xxx-tech working crowd does not stop. When they need to escape and are looking for a watering hole after a long day, they head to South Tel Aviv. Here comes Tel Aviv's neglected neighborhoods to the rescue. The last decades this flow of people and money has revitalized many areas. The last few posts about Beit Bialik light show is a great example of an old street completely renovated. More to follow.