investment Match Making Mission expands, energizes Michigan-Israel business ties. Ron Perry Special to the Jewish News Jerusalem I sraeli business mission on steroids? That describes all Michigan Israel Business Bridge (MIBB) missions to Israel and certainly the latest trip in May we organized for Oakland University (OU) and the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. Why steroids? Because Israel — a global leader in entrepreneurship, science and technology — presents a plethora of opportunities for those seeking new and exciting business partnerships. In Jerusalem at Hadassah Hospital: Dr. Robert Folberg, Dr. Virinder Moudgil, Bob Throughout the world, entrepreneurs, Schostak, Ron Perry, Ophir Shahaf (CEO, Hadasit Bio-Holdings, Ltd., the technol- business leaders and policy makers are ogy transfer arm of Hadassah), Grant Trigger, Dana Cohen (CEO, Bio Marcare), Dr. recognizing Israel's enormous contribu- Gary Russi and Robyn Lederman tions, especially in the areas of science and technology. Many companies are ticipants included Dr. Gary vying to build relationships with Israel's Russi, president of OU; Dr. numerous accelerators, research institu- Virinder Mougil, senior vice tions and companies. Due to Israel's president of academic affairs small size, innovators must seek to and provost, OU; Dr. Robert access global markets. Folberg, founding dean of The Michigan statewide-based MIBB the OU William Beaumont has been in the business of making suc- School of Medicine and chief cessful shiduchim, or matches, between academic officer, Royal Oak- Michigan and Israeli companies, entre- based Beaumont Hospitals; preneurs, universities and healthcare Bob Schostak, chairman institutions for the past two years. One of and CEO, Livonia-based the ways the MIBB does this is by orga- nizing and leading customized business Schostak Brothers & Co.; In Caesarea at IceCure: Grant Trigger, Dr. Virinder and Grant Trigger, partner, delegations to Israel. Moudgil, Bob Schostak, Dr. Gary Russi, Dr. Oakland County-based 02 That the opportunities are so numer- Robert Folberg and Simon Sharon (vice president, Investments. ous creates quite a challenge in planning research and development) The energy and excitement a mission. How do we choose whom to meet? More importantly, how do we of the mission participants in lifelike settings, from simulated battle made it possible for us to complete the maximize the chances of successful col- field triage to routine physician visits to laborative ventures? agenda, which had us working a mini- learn how to deal with different patient mum of 15 hours a day. During the mission, connections were personalities. Getting Ready Second, we were impressed to see the made with universities, hospitals, incu- For the OU and OU William Beaumont advances made by a stem cell research School of Medicine Mission from May bators, accelerators and companies for company in Jerusalem that enables the potential partnerships, collaborations and 9 to 14, Robyn Lederman, chair of the expansion of stem cells sourced from investment opportunities. We also saw MIBB Missions Task Force, and I person- umbilical cord blood. This company cur- the newest medical devices and biotech- ally vetted hundreds of potential Israeli rently has a product in Phase III trials that nical advancements coming from Israel; partners based on the specific needs and is intended as an alternative experimental many present investment opportunities goals of the participants. With the help of treatment for patients with blood cancers contingent on creating jobs and manu- other MIBB volunteers, we set the final who cannot find a matched bone mar- facturing opportunities in Michigan. agenda — a grand total of 48 meetings row donor. This company may attend While there were many noteworthy in six days! the World Stem Cell Summit in Detroit in visits, three innovations really stood out The agenda allowed OU and the OU October later this year. to Robyn and I. The first was the visit to William Beaumont School of Medicine to Third, a visit with a unique inventor, Sheba Hospital's medical simulation cen- explore and establish academic, research who himself is a quadriplegic and thus ter, where healthcare professionals train and business partnerships. Mission par- unable to use the device, allowed us to witness a demonstration of an exoskele- tal device that allows paraplegics to walk, seeing eye to eye with the able-bodied for the first time in years. The device was demonstrated by Radi, an Israeli who has been confined to a wheelchair for the last 20 years. Strengthened Bonds Throughout the weeklong mission, academic partnerships were further solidified. Dr. Folberg guest lectured at Emek Medical Center's first Ophthalmic Pathology Symposium. Ophthalmology specialists, residents, professors and medical students from all over Israel attended the event. Emek Hospital, as many readers may know, is located in Michigan's Partnership 2000 region of Israel, the Central Galilee. Dr. Moudgil also visited Max Stern College in Migdal HaEmek to discuss possible collabora- tions. While our focus and priority is facilitat- ing connections that could lead to viable partnerships, we also enhanced the visit with some cultural highlights. On the OU mission, we were able to arrange a meeting with award-winning author, Alon Hilu, winner of the presidential and Sapir prizes for literature. Because many MIBB members have deep connections to Israel, we are often able to arrange more than the typical "tourist" visit. For the MIBB, mission participants and others, it is obvious that Israel's tech- nological and scientific sectors present incredible opportunities to contribute to the economic development of our own communities. While Israel benefits just as much from such partnerships — because its small size means businesses must access global markets to survive — its leadership has shifted the historic dias- pora/lsrael economic relationship to one that is mutually beneficial. Back in Michigan, mission partici- pants continue to follow-up on the new Israeli relationships to pursue coopera- tive opportunities that will surely have a positive economic impact for our state. We are optimistic that we will continue to benefit from the outcomes of this trip both now and the long term. ❑ Ron Perry is director of business development for the Michigan Israel Business Bridge.