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
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