Israel

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Israel and Florida: A Strong and Growing Economic Partnership

The State of Israel and the U.S. State of Florida have a strong relationship, sharing many common areas of business activity. In 2013, Florida and Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote collaborative research, development, and commercialization of projects related to aviation, aerospace, and life sciences. Under this agreement, the governments of Israel and Florida are matching each other, dollar for dollar, to establish a fund to provide grants to Israeli and Florida companies that present joint R&D projects for innovative technologies.

Florida and Israel also have a history of strong cooperation in the defense and homeland security and life sciences sectors. Both of these high-tech industries are highly developed in both Israel and in Florida, and Israeli companies are increasingly looking to Florida when seeking to expand to the U.S and/or Latin America.

Florida’s information technology sector is a global leader in Modeling, Simulation and Training, Photonics/Optics, and Software & Computer Systems Design. Home to iconic IT pioneers such as IBM and Citrix Systems, as well as home-grown start-ups with a global reach, Florida has the nation’s third-largest tech industry and is a leader in the production of graduates in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).

Florida has much to offer Israeli companies and is home to a large and active Jewish community. The Florida-Israel Business Accelerator (FIBA), launched in 2016, is a technology accelerator designed to establish and grow successful Israeli high-growth tech ventures in the Tampa Bay Area. Furthermore, Florida has numerous accelerators and soft landing programs available to assist Israeli companies with market-ready products or technologies to expand in the U.S. market – and beyond.

In May 2019, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis led a historic Business Development Mission to Israel with more than 100 Florida delegates. This mission further strengthened the bonds between Florida and Israel through deeper cooperation among academia, government, and private-sector business, resulting in the concluding of more than 20 Memoranda of Understanding between Israeli and Florida entities.