

Israel has more companies on the tech-oriented NASDAQ stock exchange than any country outside the US – more than all of Europe and India combined. Nor is Israeli innovation limited to computers, security, and communications; the Jewish state leads the world in medical device patents, and is a strong global player in cleantech and biotech.

Drawing on examples from the country’s foremost inventors and investors, foreign policy insiders Dan Senor and Saul Singer describe how the country’s adversity-driven culture, flattened hierarchies, and government policies create a society that uniquely combines both innovative and entrepreneurial intensity.

As the authors argue, Israel is not just a country, but a comprehensive state of mind. Where Americans emphasize decorum and exhaustive prep, Israelis put chutzpah over charm. “When an Israeli man wants to date a woman, he asks her out that night. When an Israeli entrepreneur has a business idea, he will start it that week,” as one analyst puts it.

At the geopolitical level, Senor and Singer dig in deeper to show why Israel’s policies on immigration, R&D, and military service have been key factors in the country’s rise. “No college experience disciplines you to think like [the military does], with high stakes and intense pressure,” one veteran notes, explaining how state service preps Israelis to communicate, to forge teams, and to improvise at work.

At a time when innovation has become the key to driving global economic recovery and growth, the authors show the myriad ways the world’s most dynamic “start-up nation” can inform America’s successes.

As START-UP NATION shows, there are lessons in Israel’s example that apply not only to other nations, but also to individuals seeking to build a thriving organization. As this country reboots its can-do spirit, there’s never been a better time to look at a remarkable and resilient nation for some impressive, surprising clues.