Meeting with top officials, talking up Michigan industries and boosting future business development were among the achievements by Gov. Rick Snyder, who recently finished his second investment mission to Israel since taking office in 2011.
Snyder outlined his mission to Israel, highlighting conversations with business executives and government leaders discussing opportunities for increased trade and investment between Michigan and Israel.
“Our meetings throughout the week focused on exploring opportunities for collaboration on cybersecurity matters, particularly in the area of connected, automated and autonomous vehicles,” Snyder said in a statement. “We are continuing to work with Israel to foster economic growth and innovation through promotion and bilateral cooperation of industrial research and development.”
Snyder was joined on his mission by two department directors: Steve Arwood, CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and David Behen, director of the Department of Technology, Management and Budget. The Israel mission was conducted at the invitation of the Israeli government and hosted by the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
Snyder visited AT&T Foundry, an innovation center in Ra’anana that brings start-ups and developers together with AT&T and technology providers. The governor and his delegation also toured HARMANTowerSec, a global automotive cybersecurity company specializing in network protection for connected vehicles.
Snyder and his delegation met with Team8 in Tel Aviv. The company’s mission is to assist cybertechnology startups in developing long-term sustainable businesses that work on the biggest cybersecurity problems.
He met with an automotive roundtable at the GM Advanced Technologies Center in nearby Herzliya Pituach. There, Snyder and the delegation met with the head of the center, Gil Golan, as well as other business and government leaders to discuss the relationship between automotive and mobility, cybertechnology and potential bilateral investment opportunities.
“It’s important that we focus on Michigan’s robust and expanding technology ecosystem and how it is an integral part of the mobility industry,” Snyder said. “This will allow Michigan to continue to set itself apart from other states and countries not only in the cybertechnology field, but as the leader in the mobility movement.”
Snyder also met with Prime Minister Netanyahu to discuss future business opportunities between them as well as how to find new collaborations in key areas.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu and I had a great dialogue about Michigan-Israeli business ties and how to grow our relationships and partnerships in several areas, particularly in mobility and cyber security,” Snyder said in a Facebook post about the mission. “We both had the opportunity to speak at the CyberTech conference in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.”
Snyder concluded the visit by joining a separate delegation of business leaders from nine Michigan companies to discuss their meetings with prospective business partners, distributors and buyers that may lead to increased export opportunities.
Gov. Snyder, Michigan officials outline Israel mission and business goals added by TheHUB on
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