Alibaba Group founder and chairman Jack Ma has landed in Israel Monday accompanied by 35 senior executives from the Chinese giant. The visit began with a visit to the Dead Sea with Jack Ma reportedly floating in the water.
According to Israeli media, Ma requested to visit places where he can learn about the Jewish heritage and the Jewish people’s return to their homeland.
Will you offer us a hand? Every gift, regardless of size, fuels our future.
Your critical contribution enables us to maintain our independence from shareholders or wealthy owners, allowing us to keep up reporting without bias. It means we can continue to make Jewish Business News available to everyone.
You can support us for as little as $1 via PayPal at [email protected].
Thank you.
The delegation will visit the Israel Museum in Jerusalem on Wednesday for a tour and a business forum with investors. In the next day, the delegation will visit Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP), a venture capital fund.
On Thursday Ma will visit Tel Aviv University management and leading researchers in areas such artificial intelligence, computer sciences and engineering. Later on, he will meet students and graduates in a question and answer session. In the evening Ma will receive an honorary doctorate from Tel Aviv University.
Ma probably will visit Alibaba’s recently opened development center in Tel Aviv as part of a $15 billion global research and development push.
Alibaba has acquired or invested in five Israeli startups to date.
Alibaba has invested in e-commerce search engine Twiggle Ltd., in augmented reality software startup Infinity Augmented Reality Israel Ltd., in augmented reality hardware company Lumus Ltd., and in auto computer vision startup Nexar Ltd.
In November 2017 Alibaba completed its acquisition of Israel-based QR codes startup Visualead Ltd.
Ma will also meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Economy and Industry.
