Cooperative Agreements with Israel, by State
Formal Agreements:
- 1997: Gov. Fob James led a trade mission to Israel
and signed a formal Memorandum
of Intent to promote and improve trade relations, encourage
investments and technology transfers and promote the exchange of ideas
and company representatives, engineers, scientists and other specialists.
Formal Agreements:
- July 2014: Governor Jerry Brown and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed a agreement to cooperate on research and technology. Chief Scientist Avi Hasson called the deal another in a series of “votes of confidence in Israel’s economy, industry and innovation from a large number of US states and companies." This agreement would export Israeli desalination, water recovery and recycling, water filtration, and water security technology to water-needy the US state.
- March 2014: Governor Jerry Brown and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed a pro-business agreement designed to strengthen economic and intellectual ties between the states. The pact covers issues such as cyber security, water conservation, education, agricultural technology, health and biotechnology.
- November 2009: Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield (D-San
Fernando Valley) officially signed AB 1032 calling for an immediate
Memorandum of Understanding between California and Israel o foster technology
development, business development and educational opportunities in solar
energy and the environmental technology industries.
- June 2008: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Institute
for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) in Herziliyah, Israel to tighten cooperation
and existing relations between ICT and the City of LA's homeland security
apparatuses. The LAPD and the LA-World Airports would receive new training
and education programs on counter terrorism.
- October 1999: Gov. Gray Davis visited Israel and
signed a Memorandum
of Understanding for cooperation in the area of biotechnology,
bio-informatics and bio-agriculture so as to create an increased commercial
and research linkages.
- May 1998: Gov. Wilson and Israeli Minister of Trade
and Industry Natan Sharansky signed a Memorandum
of Intent to encourage the growth of trade and investment relations
with the prospect of expanding the growing economic cooperation between
California and Israel.
Bilateral Organizations:
- California Israel Technology Collaborative: Founded by alumni and faculty of UCLA, CAL-I-TC is based on finding
and encouraging opportunities for high technology transfers and innovation.
It encourages partnerships between the major Israeli universities and
the California business and investment communities.
- California Israel Chamber of Commerce: The
CICC is dedicated to strengthening business and trade relations between
California and Israel.
- Southern California Israel Chamber of Commerce: The SCICC is dedicated to fostering bilateral business, trade and
investment opportunities between Southern California- primarily cities
such as Los Angeles and San Diego- and Israel.
Formal Agreements:
- July 2010: Gov. Bill Ritter signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research
(BIDR) in Israel's Negev desert with the stated goal being to "encourage
voluntary interaction and cooperation and to promote friendship between
the two parties for their mutual benefit."
- July 2010: Department of Natural Resources and Agriculture
signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Desert Agro Research Center
in Israel that is focused on water and agriculture research and development
in arid and semi-arid climates.
- July 2010: Colorado School of Mines established workforce-development
ties with the Israel Institute of Technology (Technion) to help develop
the discovery of a vast natural gas reserve off Israel's coast.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Colorado Israel Chamber of Commerce: The
CICC helps foster economic and business development opportunities between
Colorado and Israel.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Connecticut Israel Exchange Commission: CONNIX
was established in 1998 by Gov. William O’Neill to help expand
economic, scientific, educational, technological, commercial, industrial
and cultural cooperation and exchange. It no longer receives state funding
though David Baram is hoping to resurrect the commission.
Bilateral Organizations:
- US Israel Business Initiative: The first
DC-based effort to advanced and strengthen US-Israel commercial relations
at all levels. Formed by the US Chamber of Commerce.
Formal Agreements:
- March 2011: Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer facilitated
the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for international collaboration
and strategic relations between the Florida Hospital and Sheba Medical
Center at Tel HaShomer. Among the many areas of collaboration are robotic
surgical training, medical simulation, and stem cell transplant.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Florida-Israel Institute: The Florida legislature
created FII to enhance educational, research, economic and cultural
exchanges between Florida and Israel. It is administered by Florida
Atlantic University and Broward Community College.
- Florida Israel Business Forum: The FIBF's
mission is to actively promote bilateral trade, commerce, and economic
relations between Florida and Israel.
- America Israel Chamber, Florida Chapter: The
Florida Chapter of the AIC sponsors events and offers networking opportunities
that promote and enhance business-to-business connections between Florida
and Israel. The Chamber assists in promoting trade and joint business
ventures between Israel and Florida.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Georgia-Israel Exchange: Gov. Zell Miller
created GIE in 1992 to explore emerging technology in both industry
and agriculture, enhance trade, encourage tourism and jointly participate
in economic development programs.
- Georgia Department of Economic Development, Israel
Office: The GDED promotes trade, investment, and tourism in Israel
through its office located in Jerusalem.
- American Israel Chamber of Commerce, Southeast
Division: Based in Atlanta, the SE Division of AICC helps Israeli
businesses explore new markets and develop business relationships with
companies in Georgia as well as Alabama, Mississippi, North and South
Carolina and Tennessee.
Formal Agreements:
- December 2008: Governor Linda Lingle and Shai Agassi,
CEO of Better Place, signed a Memorandum of Understanding centered on
a plan to bring an electric-car network to Hawai‘i, thus creating
a model for the adoption of electric cars in the U.S.
- May 2004: Gov. Lingle signed a Memorandum of Understanding
between the state of Hawaii and Israel to encourage cooperation concerning
agriculture and aquaculture research and development.
Formal Agreements:
- March 2013: The University of Chicago and Israel's Ben-Gurion University of the Negev signed an MOU to explore research that would create new water production and purification technologies for deployment in regions of the globe where fresh water resources are scarce. The ambitious research collaborations will apply the latest discoveries in nanotechnology to create new materials and processes for making clean, fresh drinking water more plentiful and less expensive by 2020.
- June 2006: Illinois and Israel signed an MOU committing
both sides to enhancing joint technology research and development in
the homeland security sector.
- 1988: Gov. James Thompson signed a Memorandum of
Intent that created the Illinois-Israel Initiative, which calls for
projects of mutual economic benefit through improved trade, technology
development, science, agriculture and tourism.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Chicago Israel Business Initiative: CIBI
seeks to leverage cooperation between the city of Chicago with the Israel
Trade and Investment Center to encourage Israel-based businesses to
locate their North American headquarters in the immediate Chicago area.
- American Israel Chamber of Commerce, Chicago: The AICC-C is tasked with developing business relationships between
Illinois and Israeli companies.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Eastern
Mediterranean Office: Headed by American oleh to Israel, Sherwin
Pomerantz, the IEDC-EM looks to match companies in Indiana and Israel
to develop joint business ventures and bilateral trade to enhance the
economies of both states.
Bilateral Organizations:
- World Trade Center of New Orleans: Though
not exclusively setup to deal with trade between Louisiana and Israel,
the WTC New Orleans has facilitated the expansion of at least nine Louisiana-based
companies into Israel.
Formal Agreements:
- April 2013: In conjuction with the formation of the Maryland-Israel Advisory Board, LifeBridge Health of Maryland and The Trendlines Group of Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the five-year Maryland/Israel Medical Device Commercialization Initiative. Through the initiative both companies will collaborate in medical device development and commercialization.
- November 2006: The Office of the Governor signed
a Memorandum of Understanding with the Israeli Ministry of Industry,
Trade and Labor that focues on bilateral cooperation in private sector
industrial research and development.
- 2004: Israel and Maryland entered into a Memorandum
of Understanding to create the Maryland-Israel Development Fund (MIDF)
that supports collaborative technology development and commercialization
conducted in partnership between Maryland and Israeli businesses.
- November 2003: Governor Bob Ehrlich signed a cooperative
agreement to establish the Maryland-Israel Homeland Security Partnership.
The partnership will allow homeland security professionals from Maryland
and Israel to share "best practices" used to respond to terror
threats.
- November 2003: Gov Ehrlich signed a partnership with
the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture to establish the Collaborative Marine
Biotechnology R&D Program.
- May 1988: Governor William Donald Schaefer signed
the Maryland-Israel Exchange which was designed to develop and expand
ventures in the fields of trade, tourism, science and technology, communications,
agriculture, aquaculture and transportation.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Maryland-Israel Advisory Board: The Maryland-Israel Advisory Board to be charged with developing business opportunities and partnerships between Maryland and Israel. The MIAB will be a dedicated group looking to open new doors for Maryland and Israeli businesses and community organizations looking to collaborate.
- Maryland-Israel Development Partnership: The MIDP was established to fund joint development efforts with Israeli companies in the cybersecurity and life sciences sectors. The Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development and Israel’s Ministry of Industry will decide which research to fund and Maryland will fund up to half of the research costs for Maryland companies.
- Maryland Israel Development Center: MIDC
promotes trade and investment and fosters bilateral economic development
between Israel and Maryland.
- Maryland Israel Collaborative Marine Biotechnology
Research and Development Program: Established by Gov. Ehrlich,
the R&D partnership puts together the University of Maryland's Biotechnology
Institute (UMBI) with a number of Israeli research institutions through
the guidance of administration of BARD. The program promotes collaborative
aquaculture research that are of mutual benefit to both Maryland and
Israel for various shared aquaculture and marine biology challenges.
Formal Agreements:
- March 2011: Governor Deval Patrick and Israeli Chief
Scientist Avi Hasson signed a memorandum of understanding that will
allow for further collaboration in research and development (R&D)
programs between Massachusetts and Israeli companies.
- March 2011: Housing and Economic Development Secretary
Greg Bialecki announced a collaboration between UMass Lowell's NanoManufacturing
Center of Excellence and Shenkar College of Engineering and Design in
Israel. Researchers at both institutions will investigate fabrication
processes for materials with potential to reduce costs for maintaining
and servicing aircraft.
- June 2008: Masschusetts lawmakers approved a $1 million
life sciences initiave that would authorize joint academic and industrial
research and business exchanges with Israel and calls for the creation
of trade facilities for pilot projects with the Government of Israel
and the Boston Haifa International Life Sciences Institute.
- May 1987: The Massachusetts Office of International
Trade and Investment signed a general accord with the State of Israel
to stimulate trade, investment, education and medicine collaboration
between the two regions.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Massachusetts-Israel Innovation Partnership:
The MIIP is a formal collaboration between Israel and the State of Massachusetts
to encourage and support innovation and entrepreneurship between Massachusetts'
and Israel's life sciences, clean energy, and technology sectors. The
partnership consists of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, the
Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, and the Massachusetts Clean
Energy Center, which collectively provide funding - alongside Israel's
Office of the Chief Scientist - for Massachusetts companies that participate
in cooperative industrial R&D projects with an identified Israeli
partner company.
- New England Israel Business Council: The NEIBC provides a variety of formal and informal venues
for networking, for making connections between Israel and New England
people and companies and for seeking advice on doing business in these
two regions. NEIBC hosts annual business summits and also setups various
other conferences.
- Boston Israel Cleantech Alliance: BICA connects
cleantech investors, entrepreneurs, academic researchers and government
officials in Israel and Boston. Among their main objectives, BICA aims
to oster increased economic, scientific, and educational relations between
Boston and the State of Israel.
Formal Agreements:
- February 2011: Oakland University William Beaumont
School of Medicine in Rochester signed a Memorandum of Understanding
with the Emek Medical Center in Haifa that encourages collaborative
research and the sharing of scientific knowledge between the two institutions
and leveraging the medical expertise of both institutions to advance
the science and practice of medicine.
- November 2008: Governor Jennifer Granholm signed
a Memorandum of Understanding with Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Eli
Yishai to establish a working group between the two governments that
will focus on energy efficiency and technology that will improve water
quality and increase water re-use.
- 1988: The Michigan-Israel Technology Venture was
established to foster exchanges of information and technology, and an
Economic Development Cooperative Agreement was signed the same year
to promote trade and investment.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Michigan Israel Business Bridge: The MIBB
was established to facilitate business and investment opportunities
between Michigan and Israel for their mutual economic benefit. MIBB
brings new business to Michigan and creates jobs by encouraging Israeli
businesses with new technologies to establish their North American business
centers in Michigan.
Formal Agreements:
- 1987: Gov. Rudy Perpich established the Minnesota-Israel
Exchange (MNIX) to foster cooperation and promote trade, investment,
science and industry.
Bilateral Organizations:
- American Israel Chamber of Commerce & Industry
of Minnesota: AICCM serves its members by being the best resource
and catalyst for developing strategic alliances between the business
communities of Minnesota and Israel. The Chamber's goal is to provide
services to companies in Minnesota and Israel who want to do business
together.
Formal Agreements:
- 1988: Gov. James Thompson signed a Memorandum of
Intent that created the Missouri-Israel Initiative calling for projects
of mutual economic benefit through improved trade, technology development,
science, agriculture and tourism.
Formal Agreements:
- 1993: Governor Ben Nelson signed a Memorandum
of Understanding to promote trade and exchanges related to
agriculture.
Formal Agreements:
- October 2003: Governor James McGreevey and Vice Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert signed an MOU officially declaring collaboration
in the Life Sciences.
- November 1996: Memorandum of Intent concerning a
joint Israel-New Jersey Program to Promote the Establishment of Environmental
Management Systems.
- November 1996: MOU between the Commission on Science
and Technology of the State of New Jersey and The Ministry of Science
of the State of Israel.
- November 1996: The New Jersey-Israel Cultural Cooperation
Committee Memorandum of Intent.
Bilateral Organizations:
- New Jersey Israel Commission: Established
in 1988, the NJIC fosters and enhances the relationship between New
Jersey and the State of Israel with regard to economic development and
bi-lateral trade, education and culture and tourism.
- New Jersey Department of Commerce and Economic
Development, Israel Office: The DCED branch located in Ra'anana
has successfully negotiated tens of economic schemes between New Jersey
and Israel, principally in the high-tech arena. Several American-based
companies working with Israel have relocated to New Jersey, in order
to enjoy the benefits available through these offices.
Formal Agreements:
- June 2008: Gov Bill Richardson signed an agreement
of cooperation with Israeli Minister of Industry Eli Yishai that spells
out a process to create strategic partnerships to cooperate on the advancement
of joint water and energy technologies.
Formal Agreements:
- September 2009: Gov. David Patterson signed an MOU with Israel's
Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer on industrial
R&D cooperation in the areas of nanotechnology, biotechnology, and
public and internal security.
- 1989: Gov. Mario Cuomo created the International Partnership Program
to promote exchanges with Israel in culture, tourism and economic development.
Bilateral Organizations:
- American Israel Chamber of Commerce of Industry, New York Office: The AICCI is devoted to bringing US and Israeli businesses together
while advocating for policies that encourage investment, increase the
flow of trade, investment and transfer of technology between Israel
and the US.
Formal Agreements:
- 1994: Gov. Jim Hunt established an International
Commission that includes task forces to stimulate trade and exchanges
with Israel in business, academia, arts and culture, education and social
services. The North Carolina-Israel Partnership (NCIP) was created in
1996 to manage the cooperative projects.
- 1993: The governments of North Carolina and Israel
signed a far reaching and broad agreement that led to the establishment
in 1996 of North Carolina-Israel Development Centers in both places
as well as an Israeli center for people with autism based on a North
Carolina model.
Formal Agreements:
- May 2008: The Energy & Environmental Research
Center (EERC) at the University of North Dakota announced the development
of a long-term partnership with Israel o address critical energy security
issues facing both Israel and the United States.
Formal Agreements:
- June 2010: Ohio Clean Technologies Group signed an
MOU with LN Green Technologies Incubator in Haifa which outlines a plan
for Ohio Clean Technologies and LN Green Technological to cooperate
and share resources with the objective of bringing new alternative energy
technological applications to market in the United States.
- September 2009: The Dayton region and the Israeli
city of Haifa signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at boosting
economic development in both locations.
- February 2006: The city of Akron earmarked a $1.5
million investment from local public and private sources in a Netanya-based
technological incubator. In exchange for the investment, any companies
that are created from the incubator will then base their US headquarters
in Akron, a move which will provide local jobs and income tax to the
city, plus dividends from part ownership in the companies.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Ohio Israel Agricultural Initiative: Launched
by the Negev Foundation with help from Senator George Voinovich, the
OIAI was established to improve agricultural trade and development between
Israel and the state of Ohio through the farmers, research institutions
and trade associations of both places.
- Ohio Israel Chamber of Commerce: The OICC
is an enterprise solutions provider that works to create collaborative
relationships between companies seeking to commercialize technologies
in both places.
- Dayton Region Israel Trade Alliance: The
DRIT Alliance seeks to identify and assist in realizing opportunities
for sustainable business collaboration between Israel and communities
in the Dayton region of Ohio.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Oklahoma-Israel Exchange: OKIE was created
by Gov. David Walters to stimulate mutually beneficial projects. In
1994, the legislature established a permanent OKIE Commission to develop
joint projects in energy, agriculture, trade, water use and conservation,
and cultural and educational exchanges.
Formal Agreements:
- October 2010: Governor Ted Kulongoski signed an MOU
with Israel "to develop and strengthen economic, industrial, technological
and commercial cooperation".
Bilateral Organizations:
- Oregon Israel Business Alliance: OIBA was
formed through the leadership of Governor Ted Kulongoski and various
Israeli government officials and seeks to leverage cooperation between
the states in forestry and water technology.
Formal Agreements:
- June 1997: Governor Tom Ridge signed Pennsylvania's
first cooperative agreement with Israel to “seek to enhance technological
research and economic development as well as to increase cultural awareness
in order to promote a deeper understanding of shared values through
the economy, arts, technology and education.”
Bilateral Organizations:
- America Israel Chamber of Commerce, Central Atlantic
Region: AICC-CAR seeks to further business relationships between
companies in the Greater Philadelphia Region and Israel. Serves locations
throughout Pennsylvania and even in bordering states.
Formal Agreements:
- 1992: Gov. Carroll Campbell, Jr. signed a Memorandum
of Intent to establish a South Carolina-Israel Exchange to
promote trade, investment, agriculture, education and tourism.
Formal Agreements:
- September 2009: Rapid City Economic Development Partnership
signed an MOU with the Israeli weapons manufacturing company, TDI Arms,
to open a plant in the city and create a number of new full time positions
for South Dakota residents.
Formal Agreements:
- 1996: Gov. Don Sundquist signed the Tennessee-Israel
Cooperation Agreement to promote cooperation between the two countries
in trade, arts, culture, education, tourism and university/industry
alliances.
Formal Agreements:
- December 2010: University of Texas Southwestern Medical
Center entered into a cooperative agreement with he Rabin Medical Center
in Israel to collaborate on faculty and student exchange programs, as
well as the development of joint studies, research and training activities,
and other educational programs of mutual interest.
- 2002: MOU was signed to foster collaborative practical
and applied research between agricultural scientists areas of high priority
to both Texas and Israel.
- 1992: A Memorandum of Intent was signed between the
two governments with a focus to broaden the Texas-Israel SemiArid Fund
(see 1985), encourage greater participation and to prove, through applied
research, that the similarities in agriculture between Texas and Israel
can be a lesson for both partners.
- 1985: Texas-Israel Semi-Arid partnership was created
after the signing of an MOU between the Texas Department of Agriculture
and the Ministry of Agriculture of the State of Israel to work together
on projects of mutual agricultural benefit to the peoples of Israel
and Texas.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Texas Israel Chamber of Commerce: TICC's
aim is to boost the economies of Texas and Israel by helping member
companies develop important business relationships with each other and
explore new market opportunities. The Chamber is strongly supported
by Gov Rick Perry of Texas as well as by Israel’s Ministry of
Industry, Trade, and Labor.
- Texas Israel Exchange: TIE was created in
1984 to promote mutually beneficial agriculture R&D and to foster
the expansion of trade between the states.
- Texas BARD Program: Texas-BARD is an offshoot
of the BARD Fund that looks to exclusively develop solutions to mutual
agricultural problems that will in turn foster the development of trade,
mutual assistance, and business relations between Texas and Israel.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Vermont Israel Agricultural Exchange: VIAE
promotes agricultural research and cooperation in such areas as the
treatment of Mastitis (a cattle disease), genetic engineering, aquaculture,
integrated pest management and sustainable agriculture. The State allocates
approximately $10,000 for VIAE, which is run out of the Department of
Agriculture.
Formal Agreements:
- September 2008: Gov Timothy M. Kaine and Ambassador
of Israel Sallai Meridor signed an agreement to strengthen bilateral
cooperation between the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Israel
on private sector industrial research and development.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Virginia Israel Advisory Board: VIAB serves
as the bridge for Israeli companies who want to establish and/or expand
their business in the USA and locate in Virginia.
- Virginia Israel Commission: VIC is dedicated
to investigating the cultural, educational and economic development
opportunities between the two states.
- Norfolk Program/Tochnit Norfolk: Seeks to
lure Israeli companies to Norfolk, home to the worlds largest naval
base, by using incentives for collaboration between Israeli companies
and Norfolk-based companies.
- Virginia Israel Technology Alliance: VITAL's
mission is designed to help post-incubator, commercial-ready Israeli
companies build strong foundations for growth in the U.S., and bring
their products to market in Virginia.
- US Israel Business Exchange: Based in Vienna,
US-IBEX is an independent, non-profit organization. It was created as
an initiative of the Embassy of Israel in collaboration with the Greater
DC business community in March 2000 to help Israeli and American companies
to create opportunities for collaboration.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Washington Israel Business Council: WIBC's
mission is to support economic growth in Israel and Washington State
through stimulation and promotion of mutual commercial and educational
collaboration.
Formal Agreements:
- November 2009: Governor Jim Doyle and Israeli Minister of Industry,
Trade and Labor Benjamin Ben-Eliezer signed a memorandum of understanding
and a bilateral cooperative trade agreement with the hopes of promoting
collaboration and a strong working relationship between Wisconsin and
Israel in research and development.
Bilateral Organizations:
- Wisconsin Department of Commerce, Global Ventures, Israel: Formed
in December 2010, the DOC Global Ventures office builds and strengthens
bilateral ties with Israel.
- Committee for Economic Growth of Israel: CEGI was established
to help expand and grow trade between Israel and the state of Wisconsin,
in particular, and the entire US in general. It deals with business
promotion in both Wisconsin and Israel, much the same as the various
Chambers of Commerce.
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