Holy Land: Startup Nations

Produced by Wired UK, the second season of the multi-part documentary series Future Cities explores the technological boom occurring in Israel. From Tel Aviv to the Holy Lands, the country is home to the largest number of tech start ups on Earth. Their innovations define trends that dominate throughout much of the rest of the world, and they will continue to do so for future generations.

The communities featured in the series benefit from thriving cultural diversity, and a shared sense of meaningful purpose. In Tel Aviv, the banner of diversity welcomes spirited people of all ages, ethnicities and sexual persuasions. This infectious energy also characterizes Rothschild Boulevard, the heart of the city for all things related to technology, politics, architecture, social movements and global influence. A century ago, this iconic street consisted of desolate sand dunes; today, there are few areas of the world that can lay claim to greater vibrancy and promise.

Devout ideologies, such as those shared by the people of Jerusalem and other holy cities in the region, set the groundwork for some of the country's most creative technological endeavors. Faith and cutting-edge technology may appear to be strange bedfellows on the surface. But these innovators call upon their faith to make the world a better place, and their start-up efforts reflect these grandiose ambitions.

The filmmakers explore the building blocks of Israel as it exists today, and how its unique personality makes it an ideal breeding ground for the breakthroughs of tomorrow. We're taken inside a series of research and development projects, including one that seeks to improve healthcare efficiency through standard smart phone technologies. Collectively, enterprises like this have the potential to alter the worlds of healthcare, agriculture, education and many others.

Following season one, Shenzhen: The Silicon Valley of Hardware, season two of Future Cities shows us that tech innovation is about more than just binary code and increasingly complex hardware. It's about the hopes and dreams of people, and their shared belief that all things are possible. The film provides a fascinating glimpse into a country which has forged a vital identity in the tech world through sheer force of will. In that regard, perhaps the most impressive start-up in the country is Israel itself.