The MIBA Israel team recently visited HiCenter in Haifa, Israel, a hub driving tech innovation and entrepreneurship. The visit showcased promising startups and new opportunities for Michigan-Israel collaboration. Discover the breakthroughs shaping tomorrow.
February 2025 has been a most emotionally turbulent month here in Israel for those of you who are closely following the events regarding the return of the hostages. We celebrate the return of those who have survived their captivity, and we mourn the
tragedy of those returning in coffins.
If there is one word that has described the Israeli spirit of the last 16 months, it has been resilience. We have seen numerous examples and organizations that address the country’s needs for attention to trauma as well as emotional, economic and physical
rebuilding.
Mark Davidoff reflects on his recent trip to Israel. After 40+ years of visits, he stood with the people, witnessed the aftermath of October 7th, and saw resilience in Israel’s start-up ecosystem.
In 2024, Israel saw 20 business deals valued at over $200M each (excluding IPOs), doubling the 10 deals completed in 2023. These deals primarily involved the acquisition or merger of Israeli companies by global organizations, reflecting strong demand for Israel’s innovation and expertise. This marks a significant rebound compared to nine deals in 2022 and 21 in 2021. The companies involved represented a variety of industries, including artificial intelligence (AI), software solutions for businesses, and advancements in healthcare and life sciences.
Along with leading healthcare investors and ecosystem leaders, I was delighted to be invited to participate as a Mentor at Sheba SPARC’s IV cohort. This global entrepreneurship program is designed to provide Sheba and global medical professionals, physicians, and clinicians with business and entrepreneurial tools to enable their innovation to succeed commercially. I was proud to provide an overview of Michigan’s HealthTech ecosystem and then deliver initial business feedback as a mentor to five entrepreneurial ideas, some patented, initiated by:
The head of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Institute and the Director of Sheba’s tissue bank
A cardiologist
An ophthalmologist
A radiologist
A neuro-immunologist
It was an inspiring experience to help shape solutions that have the potential to transform global healthcare.
The MIBA Israel team was thrilled to attend the EcoMotion Ecosystem Gathering, an inspiring innovation and networking event that brought together top innovators, industry leaders, startups, tech companies, and investors to explore the future of mobility. Read more about the groundbreaking Mobility Challenge Map unveiled at the event, which highlights key forces shaping the industry and fosters collaboration to address critical challenges.
The expo—one of the largest annual gatherings of fruit and vegetable growers and farm marketers in North America—had more than 5,000 attendees, 60% of whom work as fruit and vegetable farmers.
The Israeli companies Agam Greenhouse Energy Systems, CropX, NESS Fertigation, Robotic Perception and TierraSpec were invited to present their products and developments at the expo’s “Innovation Row,” per a release from the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest.