Now, Singapore's research groups could team up with this Israeli research powerhouse which boasts six Nobel laureates, 60 spin-off companies, and US$1 billion (S$1.4 billion) in annual sales of products originating from the university.

Hebrew University is a reflection of a country where the most common joke goes: 'If you throw a stone, you will hit an entrepreneur.'

Israel has the largest number of high-tech start-ups after the United States and there are more than 5,000 Israeli high-tech companies.

The country has also attracted big names in technology such as IBM and Intel, which have research and development labs there.

Representatives from Singapore tertiary institutes, who are part of a group visiting Israel to study entrepreneurship here, said that while there had been informal collaborations with Hebrew University in the past, both sides are interested in strengthening ties further.