Michigan Israel Business Accelerator (MIBA)

🌱Experience Innovation: Planting Seeds of the Future 🌱 Register now for MIBA's first webinar of the year! 🚀 This event will feature a deep dive into the Food/Ag Tech innovation ecosystem from Growing IL and showcase leading Israeli companies that are pushing the boundaries of Agriculture Technology. Featured Companies: Agam Greenhouse Energy Systems GrowDirector Ness Fertigation Robotic Perception TierraSpec Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from some of Israel’s top leaders and discover innovative technologies! 💡🌐 👉 Save your spot and join us for a game-changing session at: https://lnkd.in/gSf6HiWA

Meet Rachel, MIBA's Community Engagement Manager! In her latest video, Rachel offers a behind-the-scenes look at a day filled with sharing MIBA's mission, building meaningful relationships, and igniting collaborations that create real impact! 🎥 Rachel Fine

Last week the University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business hosted MIBA Managing Director Bernard Bourgeois Bourgeois on a dynamic panel about Israel's startup ecosystem! It was inspiring to connect with Ross students about Israel's entrepreneurial community and the incredible innovations coming out of the country. Bernard was honored to share the stage with an exceptional panel: Doron York, CEO of CitySide Ventures; Litan Yahav 🎗️, Co-Founder and CEO of Vyzer; and @Tal Shahar, Founder and CEO of Atlas Invest, each bringing unique and valuable insights to the discussion. We're looking forward to continuing the conversation and strengthening the ties between Michigan and Israel! ✍️ 🎥 Rachel Fine

Bernard has returned from CES, energized and inspired after an action-packed trip! He engaged with new game-changing Israeli companies like SavorEat 🤖 (featured in this video!) and reconnected with Carrar, Innoviz Technologies, Silentium Ltd., DriveU.auto, Make My Day, Addionics, Drive TLV, and many others. The highlight? The EcoMotion Community Happy Hour on the final night, hosted by Foretellix and partners, where innovation, collaboration, and meaningful connections took center stage. Thank you to everyone who made this trip so impactful—here’s to driving innovation forward together!

Congratulations to Jerusalem-based Civan Lasers on the opening of your new demo lab at the Farmington Hills, Michigan location of PHOTON AUTOMATION, INC.! This milestone marks an exciting step forward, showcasing your dedication to advancing laser technology. Wishing you continued success in this next chapter! 🚀👏 Ami Spira

✈️ Bernard is off to Las Vegas for CES 2025— the world’s largest tech show, with over 140,000 attendees from 160+ countries last year! 📩 Meet Bernard today through Thursday, and stay tuned for updates on the Israeli innovations he uncovers and opportunities to bring game-changing tech to Michigan. #CES2025

Going to CES?  The MIBA and our Michigan partners are ready to discuss how we can help elevate Israeli companies to the next level! #CES

What combats water scarcity, labor shortages, and nurtures soil health, all while crossing borders to build new partnerships? The answer: Israeli AgTech innovations, brought to life by a delegation of five exploring Michigan’s thriving agricultural ecosystem! 🌱 We’re thrilled to conclude 2024 with an Israel AgTech Delegation that was focused on tackling key agricultural challenges while pursuing strategic partnerships that will drive expansion into the US. During their visit, delegates connected with industry leaders, participated in networking sessions, and showcased their solutions at the Michigan-Israel AgTech Pavilion at the Great Lakes Expo, which draws over 4,500 individuals from the fruit, vegetable, farm market, and greenhouse sectors, along with 400 leading industry companies. The delegation included: Agam Greenhouse Energy Systems - Revolutionizing greenhouse environments with energy-saving heating, cooling, and dehumidification systems, improving crop quality and reducing humidity. CropX - A global leader in farm management, using soil and climate data to provide advanced crop intelligence and decision-making tools via a user-friendly app. Ness Fertigation - Boosting crop yields by 30-70% with automated fertigation systems that optimize fertilizer use through data-driven adjustments. Robotic Perception - Developing autonomous farming robotics for pruning and spraying to combat labor shortages in agriculture.  TierraSpec - Using satellite imaging and predictive models for high-resolution soil mapping, optimizing soil health and reducing fertilizer use. Why Michigan & Israel for AgTech? Israel is a global leader in AgTech, known for innovations in water management, sustainability, and cutting-edge agricultural solutions. Michigan, with its agricultural diversity and strong economy, is the ideal testing ground for these innovations, offering a robust platform for growth and collaboration. As innovation matchmakers, we’re excited for the collaborations between delegates, Michigan farmers, and businesses to drive agricultural sustainability and fuel economic growth. With the seeds of innovation planted, Israeli ingenuity and Michigan’s agricultural strength will grow together to tackle challenges and harvest opportunities. Let’s keep cultivating success! 🌾✨ Special thank you to our partners and sponsors for supporting this fruitful delegation: Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest, GrowingIL, The Trendlines Group Kurt Parbst, Yoav Banitt, Shlomo Kalach, Avital Levy-Lior, Gai Boger, Todd Carlton, Esther Loewy, Bernard Bourgeois, Casey Iaccino, Rachel Fine, Scott Hiipakka https://lnkd.in/gJHUVNhU

To Partners, Supporters and Friends of the Michigan Israel Business Accelerator (MIBA), I am writing today to share that Scott Hiipakka, MIBA CEO, has  accepted an executive-level position in the financial services sector, and will be transitioning to this new position at year end.  While we’re of course disappointed, we are thrilled for Scott and his family for this new opportunity. The MIBA professional team and the board thank Scott for the exceptional growth and success of MIBA under his leadership. Over the past 5+ years, Scott and his team have generated over $20 million of combined economic activity between Michigan and Israel; established The Elevator, a first-of-its-kind landing zone for Israeli startups in the U.S.; and, perhaps most importantly, established the culture and operational framework to drive  MIBA’s continued growth. The Board has asked Mark Davidoff, Founding MIBA Board Chair, to re-assume the interim leadership role, as he did during Scott’s military deployment in 2023, and to help define the key characteristics of MIBA’s next leader. Scott will support the transition, working with Mark and the team to close 2024 strong and continue that momentum into 2025. Our board is committed to MIBA’s mission and to growing its economic impact. Thank you to Scott and Mark for their leadership and dedication to the MIBA, and congratulations to Scott on his new role! Matt Elliott Board Chair

Congratulations to Israel-based Electreon on their partnership with UPS, the world’s largest package delivery company, to electrify Detroit’s delivery fleet through wireless charging! ⚡🚚 This impressive collaboration, in partnership with commercial EV manufacturer Xos Trucks, will integrate Electreon’s wireless charging technology into Xos Stepvans and include new installations of stationary wireless charging at a UPS facility in Detroit. This project aims to streamline operations, improve fleet efficiency, and demonstrate how wireless charging can lower the total cost of ownership for electrified commercial truck fleets, while advancing both sustainability and operational efficiency. 🌱🔋 This milestone reinforces Michigan’s leadership in mobility and sustainable technologies, showcasing why companies continue to choose to Make it in Michigan! Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/gJhr27gr Michigan Economic Development Corporation - Office of Future Mobility and Electrification Michigan Department of Transportation Michigan Central