INTRODUCTION
The Arizona Israel Technology Alliance was founded out of a need that transpired in which the resource needed of a vehicle to drive strong business relations in Arizona with the “startup nation” of the world – Israel.
Innovation Story
Two global locations with aligned innovation mission and vision that can execute. Mission: To increase bilateral trade, investment, and business between the state of Arizona and Israel.
Verticals of primary focus that align Israel and Arizona: Medical, Bioscience, Cybersecurity, Aerospace and Defense, Smart cities, Financial technologies, Autonomous vehicles, Artificial Intelligence, Agriculture and Water technologies.
Executive Committee: Cross-section of Arizona and Israeli leaders.
Rather a little with purpose than a lot without.– Shulchan Arukh
Perspective on Innovation
The Arizona Israel Technology Alliance is a not-for-profit entity whose mission is to increase bilateral trade, investment, and business between the state of Arizona and Israel. The organization was founded in February 2018 when a need arose where such an organization would have been of great assistance. Unlike most major US metropolises, Arizona did not have such a resource, hence the establishment of one.
The areas of focus that the Alliance focus’ on are; business to business opportunities, venture capital, and private equity investment facilitation and business attraction. Through the short time since the founding, all three focuses have substantially increased with Israeli company establishment of their offices and HQ’s in Arizona at record pace, with a projected sixty percent increase of Israeli companies in Arizona by 2020.
Key to successes between these two regions is the understanding of synergies that specifically align Arizona and Israel, be it on an industry level, or the focus of pushing the boundaries of innovation. Success transpires through good teams and partners. With the support and collaborative efforts between governments, organizations, corporations, and individuals that see the unending opportunities and successes, the horizon of innovative opportunities continues to broaden.
Phoenix’s history can outline what makes the Arizona Israel Technology Alliance an integral part of the progression of innovation. In 1950, the greater Phoenix’s metro population was a mere over 250,000 people. Today that number is over six million. Without this growth, the milestones and achievements that Phoenix boasts could never have been achieved.
The growth continues and more milestones and successes will be achieved, but with a focus on partnering with Israeli technology companies, the opportunities grow by leaps and bounds. Israel, known as the “startup nation” maintains that label due to some of the statistics it can boast.
Why Phoenix?
The Arizona Israel Technology Alliance is a statewide organization. The greater Phoenix metro, with its population size and cluster of large cities and towns, draws the majority of collaborative efforts between Arizona and Israel. Resources, customer base, invested public and lay-leaders, talent, and access to three of the world’s global economies, makes Phoenix a safe and investable place for a company to move to.
The Future of Innovation
With the State of Israel established in 1948, the last forty years, in particular, have seen it pioneer across several areas. Boasting more venture capital per capita in the world, the home to more than three hundred Research and Development multinational corporations, second in the world on an innovation front per the World Economic Forum, over six hundred venture-backed startups each year – for a country smaller than the size of New Jersey, partnering and attracting on Israeli initiatives is an opportunity only to be capitalized on.
Phoenix is in its formative years to be synonymous with Innovation. The foundations are continuing to strengthen which have been built by its pioneers and visionaries, with some notable successes from home-grown talent. Both the public and private sectors in its most recent years have honed in on specific “futuristic technologies” that have raised Phoenix’s Innovation profile. For its innovation ecosystem to continue to prosper on its upward trajectory, local talent and infrastructure need to continue to grow together while that growth attracts talent from out-of-state.
Advice & Best Practices
• Capitalize on the openness of industry leaders who are open to assist and meet with you.
• Be proactive and smart in the events you attend.
• Understand the value that Phoenix can truly provide.
