About a year after signing its first lease agreement in the Haifa Science and High-Tech Park, worth approximately NIS 45 million for three floors, Rafael is expanding its operations in the complex and signing another deal: leasing two additional floors in Building B for approximately NIS 32 million for a period of five years, with an option to extend. In total, Rafael's contracts in the park in the past year amount to approximately NIS 77 million.
The company already occupies three floors and is expected to expand to two additional floors in the coming months, a move that strengthens Haifa's position as a national center in the field of defense tech.
Haifa is establishing itself as a leading defense-tech center
Rafael's rapid expansion in the Science and High-Tech Park is not just another real estate deal, but an expression of a broader trend: an increase in investments and activity in the defense and technology industries in Israel, alongside growing confidence in Haifa's potential as a technological metropolis.
The city offers a combination of high-quality human capital, leading academic institutions, advanced infrastructure, and transportation accessibility, making it attractive for security and technology companies.
The park: three existing buildings and two more on the way
The Science and High-Tech Park is being established by the Maven Real Estate Group and the Haifa Economic Company, and currently includes three active buildings and two more planned, each with eight floors. The total area of the park is expected to reach approximately 80 square meters. The complex is located at the southern entrances of the city, near Sami Ofer Stadium, Matam Park, and central transportation, the train, the coastal road, and the Carmel Tunnels.
A national and international center for Defenstech and a significant growth engine for Haifa
The Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav: “Rafael’s expansion is a significant expression of confidence in Haifa and its enormous potential. When a leading defense company expands operations in a short time, it is proof that Haifa is a strategic hub of knowledge and innovation. The deal will create hundreds of new jobs and attract additional companies.”
Uzi Levy, CEO of Maven Group: “The second deal with Rafael proves the quality of the park and its suitability for the needs of leading companies. We expect additional players from the defense-tech sector to join.”
Rani Bender, Chairman of the Haifa Economic Society: “The deal with Rafael is a significant achievement and proof that the vision to transform Haifa into a national and international center for DefenseTech is being realized on the ground. It is not just about renting space, but about creating a complete technological and security ecosystem, based on Haifa’s unique advantages: the defense industries, academic institutions, research and high-quality human capital. The fact that Rafael is expanding its activities at this stage is a clear message to the entire market, Haifa is the place where Israel’s future industry is developing. This is about adding hundreds of new jobs to Haifa. We will continue to work to attract additional leading companies and strengthen the city’s economic position.”
Hanan Markowitz, CEO of the Haifa Economic Company: "The Haifa Economic Company focuses on developing quality employment for the city's residents and works to support the overarching goal of retaining and attracting a young population to the city. The current deal, with Rafael and worth approximately NIS 32 million within just a year of the first deal, illustrates the trust of one of Israel's most important and strategic companies in the Haifa Science and High-Tech Park. Rafael's expansion constitutes a significant growth engine for Haifa and is the result of joint work with our partners in the real estate structure and under the leadership of the Economic Company's DefenseTech director."
Rani Timor, VP of Marketing of the Maven Group: “Rafael is a true partner. The deal is good business, social and economic news for the partnership in the Haifa Science and High-Tech Park, for the city of Haifa and the entire north.”
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It's been said that they came and succeeded. That's great, just don't forget, places like this need to be well looked after. That reminds me, maybe this is the solution: bring budgets and money from the United States, develop advanced technologies and strategies at home, reduce dependence on the US and the world.