14 | JUNE 29 • 2023 

be for the city of Detroit.
” 
Itai Biran, Consul for Political & 
Commercial Affairs at the Israel Consulate 
General to the Midwest, was there for The 
Elevator’s launch. “This space will undoubt-
edly serve as a catalyst for Israeli companies, 
enabling them to rapidly accelerate their 
growth models in in the United States,
” he 
said. “The opening of this space represents 
a milestone in our efforts to strengthen ties 
between Israel and Michigan.
”
According to Biran, both regions share a 
common focus on various sectors, includ-
ing smart mobility, advanced manufactur-
ing, health tech, sustainability tech, food 
and air tech. 
“These areas of expertise provide a strong 
foundation for collaboration between Israel 
and Michigan companies,
” he said. “The 
partnership between Israel and Michigan is 
built on a mutual commitment to techno-
logical advancement and economic growth. 
Israel’s reputation as the Startup Nation and 
Michigan’s thriving innovation ecosystem 
create the perfect environment for fostering 
collaboration and driving progress.
” 
 Three visionary Israeli companies have 
made their mark as charter members of The 
Elevator, showcasing their commitment 

to innovation and growth: GuardKnox, 
FullPath and SkillReal.
GuardKnox is a premier automotive and 
defense technology and engineering com-
pany. It has grown from its first two busi-
ness development resources to a fully sep-
arate U.S. company, adding a small team of 
engineers to service its domestic business.
“MIBA is a great resource for Israeli com-
panies in Michigan, and The Elevator will 
help advance their mission of connecting 
companies like GuardKnox to important 
resources and networks.
” said Joe Romero, 
managing director U.S. of GuardKnox. 
“We anticipate using The Elevator space to 
further facilitate meetings and discussions 
with other companies as we find a common 
neutral ground upon which to trade ideas 
and collaborate on projects.
”
FullPath (formerly AutoLeadStar) is an 
automotive industry-leading customer data 
and experience platform. FullPath enables 
dealerships to cultivate enduring custom-
er relationships by seamlessly integrating 
disparate data sources and harnessing the 
potential of this data to curate unparalleled, 
hyper-personalized experiences for each 
individual customer.
Centrepolis Accelerator has selected 

SkillReal’s cutting-edge digital twin align-
ment technology, which offers augmented 
reality measurement capabilities on-screen, 
for their growth program.
Bourgeois shared that early in June, eight 
more Israeli companies spent a few days 
visiting The Elevator. 
“To see them in this space — using it, 
connecting with Michigan companies — it 
was just really rewarding,
” he said, adding 
he expects other Israeli companies to be 
signing on to The Elevator very soon. 
According to Davidoff, “There is no cost 
for membership/occupancy to Israeli com-
panies as we want to facilitate landing with 
as few barriers as possible. The cost of The 
Elevator is part of the annual board- 
approved operating budget.
”
 Originally named the Michigan Israel 
Innovation Center, “it didn’t exactly roll off 
the tongue,
” Davidoff said. “We were trying 
to think of a name that would mean as 
much to an Israelis as it would to us here in 
Michigan. 
 “What could symbolize what we’re trying 
to do here, which is to lift up Israeli startups 
so they can reach their highest level? We 
decided on The Elevator, and MIBA is your 
elevator operator.
” 

OUR COMMUNITY
ON THE COVER

Mark Davidoff, original board chair for MIBA
The view from inside The Elevator

continued from page 13

THANK YOU TO OUR 2022-2023 SPONSORS

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2023-2024, 
CONTACT AMY SCHLUSSEL: ASCHLUSSEL@HILLELDAY.ORG OR 248-539-1484 

