Uri Gabai

Uri Gabai is the CEO of RISE‑Israel, an independent think‑tank focused on fostering innovation, resilience and socio‑economic development. The think‑tank collaborates with major tech companies such as Google, Intel and many others on various projects, while also working closely with the public sector in Israel.

Previously, Mr. Gabai served as the co‑general manager of Start‑Up Nation Central (SNC), where he oversaw the Finder database — the most comprehensive database on Israeli startups. Prior to that, he was chief strategy officer at the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA), where he was responsible for designing new support programs and evaluating existing ones.

Before joining the IIA, Mr. Gabai worked as a senior economist at the National Economic Council in the Prime Minister’s Office. In that role, he led the macroeconomic team, implementing significant government initiatives, including a new fiscal rule for the Government of Israel, a $7 billion transportation infrastructure program, and reforms to entitlement criteria for elderly citizens.

Mr. Gabai is a regular participant in international forums on innovation policy and lectures frequently on the global impact of innovation. Through his work at RISE‑Israel, he has given seminars on building strong innovation ecosystems in Canada, Switzerland, Morocco and Bahrain.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and computer science, and a master’s degree in economics specializing in game theory, both from the Hebrew University.