Intel to build "Mega-Campus" in Israel
A hybrid campus
The construction of the new campus is scheduled to end sometime in 2023, and will be built right next to the company’s Haifa R&D center, which became Intel’s first ever base outside of the U.S. According to Intel, the new campus will be designed to support hybrid work: the campus is designed based on a neighborhood format, including private and shared work areas, hybrid meeting rooms, equipped for both physical and virtual meetings.
The army of employees will enjoy more than a few perks, such as coffee shops with active workstations, popup restaurants, and more. For those following a more active lifestyle can jump to the roof, which is equipped with a gym, spa, and different wellness amenities. Intel also said that the new campus will include natural grounds both inside and outside of the buildings.
“I’m extremely proud that Intel Global continues to invest and build the future from its Israeli R&D center. The new campus will lead us forward to a flexible landscape that enables the optimal combination of on-site and off-site work,” said Head of R&D Intel-Israel, Karin Eibschitz-Segal. The chip giant aims to recruit 1,000 new employees, adding even more competition for Israeli talent.
The battle for the Israeli engineer
The Intel announcement comes at the peak of the golden age for Israeli hardware and chips. Just a month ago, Google announced it will launch a new chip development center in Israel, which will stop the company’s reliance on other chip makers. Due to the fact that this is Google’s first plunge into chip production, the tech giant will look to add Israel’s best and brightest to the mission - and the road to those minds, tends to start with Intel.
We didn’t mention Google and Intel in the same sentence by mistake, as the man heading Google’s chip operations is Uri Frank, who was snatched from Intel Global management. Frank will take up the position of VP of Engineering for server chip design. It really seems as if Google is trying to recreate Intel’s Israeli R&D success, which is behind some of the company’s flagship products over the past few decades. In addition to Intel and Google, Israel is home to R&D operation of other chip giants, including NVIDIA, which acquired Israeli firm Mellanox; and Amazon, which is developing chips based on acquired Israeli startup Annapurna Labs’ technology
As many companies have learned over the years, employer branding is extremely crucial when trying to sway talent to choose one company over another. Therefore, between insane salaries and options packages, and interesting developments, enterprises are trying to secure employee loyalty through spacious offices and perks. To sum it up, look forward to a battle over the heart of every Israeli engineer during the next year, or so.
Idan Ben Tovim