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  1. Podcasts/
  2. Call Me Back - with Dan Senor/
  3. Does the Start-Up Nation brand need a rebrand? - with Yonatan Adiri and Yael Wissner Levy
July 6, 2026
July 6, 2026

•Episode length: 50m

Does the Start-Up Nation brand need a rebrand? - with Yonatan Adiri and Yael Wissner Levy

Episode length: 50m

Subscribe to Call Me Back - with Dan SenorSubscribe

As Americans mark Independence Day, we're revisiting one of the most popular episodes of "What's Your Number?" It's a conversation that feels even more relevant today. Yonatan Adiri and Yael Wissner Levy are joined by Dan Senor, host of Call Me Back and co-author of Start-Up Nation, a book which revolutionized the world’s respect for Israel and its entrepreneurial spirit and successes. Nearly two decades after the book's publication, Israel's tech sector is stronger than ever, yet the country's global brand faces unprecedented challenges. What does this mean for Israel’s reputation, innovation and its place in the world?

Dan also remembers his young friend, the late Israeli entrepreneur and investor Zaki Djemal, whose final essay on Israel's future and memorial service are linked below.

Read a tribute to Zaki Djemal and his white paper here.

Watch Zaki Djemal’s memorial service here.
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Call Me Back is made possible by our subscribers. If these conversations are where you turn to understand Israel and the Jewish world, consider joining them. It's what keeps this show going.

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In this episode:

08:00 – How Start-Up Nation changed Israel's image

14:35 – Israel's brand crisis after October 7

19:10 – Why global investors keep doubling down on Israel

25:55 – Does Israel need a new audience?

32:15 – The rise of defense tech

37:35 – AI, brain drain, and Israel's next challenge

44:30 – Does the "Start-Up Nation" reputation still apply?

46:55 – How would Dan characterize Israel's brand now?

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Beth Pearlman, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo

Host:
•Dan Senor

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