High-Powered Delegation Advances Regional Business Ties with Israel
Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey poised to benefit
(PHILADELPHIA, September 25, 2017) Their sights set on deepening already well-established commercial and investment ties between the Greater Philadelphia Region and Israel, a group of prominent government and business leaders hit the ground running in Tel Aviv this month.
“In Israel, we met with companies that are engaged in using groundbreaking new technologies,” said Joseph Burke, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. “These are the types of high-tech businesses that are flourishing in Pennsylvania. Gov. Wolf welcomes their interest in the commonwealth, and we are working on attracting them to Pennsylvania.” Burke led the delegation on a targeted business development mission organized by the Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce working closely with the Israeli Consulate in New York and specifically, The Hon. Inon Elroy, the Economic Minister to North America.
According to PICC President David Allon, “We designed a strategic agenda specifically aimed at promoting joint ventures and attracting Israeli companies—jobs and technologies—to Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware,” the Chamber’s area of focus. “Our goal is always to expose this region to the wealth of new ideas and unique business opportunities Israel represents.
In addition to visiting prominent Israeli companies including Amdocs, Inc., a leading software and services company with offices in Bala Cynwyd, PA, and Alpha Strauss, a large innovator in food technology, the group participated in two international conferences, WATEC Israel 2017 in Tel Aviv, and mHealth-Israel in Jerusalem, Israel’s capital.
In conjunction with enterprise software giant SAP (whose North American headquarters is in Newtown Square, PA) and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the PICC group organized a well-attended meetup in Tel Aviv called 4th Industrial Revolution.
Members of the delegation attended a special reception at the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, marking the first anniversary of the passing of former Prime Minister and President, Shimon Peres. In attendance were the President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, and Chemi Peres, son of Shimon Peres. Afterward, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hosted a private reception entitled, “Work Smart. Live Happy: Opportunities in Pennsylvania.”
“For people on the trip who had been there before, this was just a re-fresher,” said David Allon, “For those for whom this was a first visit to Israel, it was a real eye opener!”
PICC Executive Director Vered Nohi, who organized and coordinated the whole trip, added, “We chronicled the delegation’s activities on the social media and that extended our reach considerably. Through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, we introduced even more people to the many ways they can benefit by doing business with Israel.”
About the Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce:
The unique mission of the Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce (PICC) is developing business and academic ties between, Greater Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey and Delaware, and Israel. The PICC is a non-profit, non-denominational, independent organization focused on creating commercial and investment opportunities between the two regions.
The PICC also represents the U.S.-Israel Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD), which has made more than $10 million in industrial R&D grants to U.S.-Israeli technology ventures in our area.
In 2016, seven Israeli companies established offices in Philadelphia, and 3 additional companies in 2017. In December 2016, the BIRD Foundation awarded Christiana Care a $900,000 grant for cancer research. In June 2017, Atvio (Nesher, Israel) and Secant Group (Telford, PA) received a grant for developing a 3D culture platform of therapeutic cells manufactured using advanced biomaterials.
Delegates:
- Joseph Burke, Deputy Secretary for International Business Development, Department of
- Community & Economic Development
- Jason Hunt, Marketing Executive, Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, International Investment
- David Allon, MBA, President of the Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce (PICC) and Financial Consultant III, Officer at Citizens Securities, Inc.
- Marcel Groen, Esq., PICC Advisory Board Member, Chairman of the Democratic Party in PA, and Partner at Fox Rothschild LLP
- Neil Cooper, Esq., PICC Vice President and Executive Partner at Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld LLC.
- Conrad Plimpton, Retired Chairman, Inolex Chemical Company
- Dennis Mehta, Managing Partner, Bucks Ventures
- Carolyn Hochstadter, Esq., E. Carolyn Hochstadter Dicker LLC, Managing Attorney; Lecturer, The Wharton School
- William Leinweber, CEO & President, National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI)
- Gene C. Kopen, PhD, Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI)
- Tami Fratis, Chief Executive Officer, IPR International
- Meaghan E Clancy, New Business Development Specialist, Boehringer Laboratories, LLC.
- Vered Nohi, Executive Director, Philadelphia-Israel Chamber of Commerce
Core meetings:
Smart City & IoT, at Amdocs , a leading software & services provider to the world’s most successful communications and media companies.
Life Sciences, Cleantech and Ag Tech at the Trendlines Group which invents, discovers, invests in, and incubates innovation-based medical and agricultural technologies. The meeting included presentations by companies that consider opening offices in PA.
The 4th Industrial Revolution, a meetup featuring advanced manufacturing and IoT co-hosted with SAP at SOSA.
Exploring water technologies at Watec-Israel, an international conference and exhibit for water technologies in Tel Aviv.
Food tech from farm to fork technologies with Alfa Strauss, a division of the Strauss Group, which founded a food tech incubator connecting the “technology manufacturers” and venture capital funds, market service providers, government representatives, our strategic partners and more.
Startup Nation Central, a non-profit that created and manages a database of all the Israeli startups, what they produce and which technologies they are missing, to facilitate joint ventures and help companies innovate.
Work Smart, Live Happy: Opportunities in Pennsylvania Reception.
Digital health at m-Health Israel, Israel’s largest digital health conference and exhibit. The Commonwealth and PICC exhibited at the event.
Visited the Israeli Innovation Authority to explore collaboration opportunities.