First-Ever Israel Tech Week in Miami Debuts, Starting at eMerge Americas
Israeli innovation is getting a spotlight in South Florida with the launch of the first-ever Israel Tech Week in Miami, starting March 27. The event is expected to attract over 2,500 attendees, showcasing the growing connections between the Israeli and South Florida tech ecosystems.
This event comes after Google’s parent company, Alphabet, agreed to a $32 billion acquisition of Wiz, an Israel-based cybersecurity venture. This deal is the largest tech acquisition ever in the Middle East, a region often referred to as the “Startup Nation.”
Israel Tech Week is spearheaded by leaders from the Miami_Israel Collective and highlights diverse business opportunities in sectors such as real estate, agriculture, finance, Artificial Intelligence, and health.
“This is a platform to build partnerships,” says Lior Halabi, co-founder and CEO of the event.
The week-long activities will begin with eMerge Americas, South Florida’s premier tech conference held at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Fifteen Israeli companies will exhibit their products in an Israeli pavilion at eMerge. A reception on Thursday, featuring Israel’s consul general in Miami and the mayor of Miami Beach, will officially kick off Israel Tech Week.
Following eMerge Americas, the Tech Week will host panels across Miami, covering topics including travel and hospitality, food, cybersecurity, wellness, and construction.
Why Miami-Israel tech ties are strengthening
Israel Tech Week builds upon the already strong Miami-Israel tech ties, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Israeli ventures are choosing South Florida, rather than traditional locations like New York or California, as their US or Americas headquarters.
Miami’s appeal is attributed to its rise as a global tech hub, its gateway status to Latin America, a climate similar to Israel’s, and its established Jewish and Israeli communities. Halabi notes the current conflict, stating that it is difficult to bring industry people from the US to Israel, making this event a valuable way to bring Israeli innovators to Miami to expand partnerships.
Numerous groups are contributing to the event, including the Israel Advanced Technologies Industries (IATI), the Israel Export Institute, the American Jewish Committee, and the Florida-Israel Business Accelerator (FIBA). FIBA, for instance, has aided over 30 Israeli companies in establishing or growing their presence in Florida, with many in greater Miami.
Israel’s innovative spirit, earning it the “Startup Nation” moniker, results in high numbers of new tech ventures per capita and attracts substantial venture capital, according to industry reports. This innovative climate is attributed to Israel’s strong education system, compulsory military service fostering teamwork and problem-solving, and government support for incubators and other tech ecosystem elements.
Among Israeli tech firms setting up in South Florida: Biobeat
Israeli firms focus on overseas expansion to grow. South Florida serves as a popular U.S. location. Arik Ben Ishay of Tel Aviv-based Biobeat, a company dealing with wearable devices that monitor health conditions, selected South Florida for its US hub. Biobeat has set up in Fort Lauderdale to expand sales of its cuffless and wireless devices used for monitoring blood pressure and other vital signs.
Ben Ishay explains that the region’s high rates of blood pressure, and the presence of the University of Miami Health System’s Comprehensive Hypertension Center, influenced the decision.
“There’s also something I see in the people in Miami that I don’t see in New York: they’re very warm, want to do business, and in the medical community, are very open to innovation,” says Ben Ishay. “In Miami, it seems everyone wants to talk about new technology and innovation.”
Israel Tech Week will conclude on April 3 with a startup showcase featuring about 25 Israeli ventures.
