MIAMI—March 3, 2015— A delegation of 12 influential Miami entrepreneurs and leaders in the tech startup community will travel to Israel in March with Project Interchange, an educational institute of AJC (American Jewish Committee), to learn from the country’s thriving tech and innovation sector while sharing best practices and making connections. The knowledge exchange is being supported by $75,000 from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

This weeklong tour and workshop in Israel’s globally-recognized tech and innovation sector, which is dubbed “Startup Nation,” will provide participants the opportunity to broaden their networks and develop the personal connections necessary for collaboration. The delegation will gain exposure to this highly diverse tech sector, which has helped fuel and sustain rapid economic growth in Israel.

The program will be centered in and around Tel Aviv, the hub of Israel’s tech corridor. Participants will also visit technology and innovation centers throughout Israel, including Haifa, Jerusalem and Beersheba. Workshops will highlight key drivers of innovation in these areas, introducing the delegation to leading entrepreneurs and investors. In addition, the program will educate participants about the entrepreneurial environment in Israel, including policies that foster and encourage innovation and practices that can be replicated in Miami.

“Project Interchange is thrilled to host this impressive delegation of Miami entrepreneurs and innovation leaders for their first trip to Israel. Israel’s world-class research and innovation, its unique academia-to-technology transfer programs, and its emphasis on integrating immigrants into the country’s society are key areas for collaboration and sharing of best practices that can truly benefit the greater Miami community and beyond,” said Robin S. Levenston, Project Interchange executive director. “The Miami innovators represent a diverse array of constituencies, from academia to the private sector, and they share the common interests of job creation, high-tech innovation and collaboration, all areas of importance to Israel and Miami.”

“Getting Miami on the map as a global innovation hub means forging strong connections with the larger international community, and learning from the experiences of innovators across the globe,” said Matt Haggman, Knight Foundation program director for Miami. “Israel’s startup and tech sectors have gained increased attention and wide acclaim in recent decades. Its experiences can give our entrepreneurs a view into the drivers of a successful innovation ecosystem and help them make connections to expand Miami’s reputation as a global innovation hub.”

The Project Interchange delegation includes entrepreneurs, venture capital and angel investors, and experts in the nonprofit and academic sectors focused on bringing innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship to Miami. Brian Siegal, AJC Miami director, will accompany participants on the trip.

Support for Project Interchange forms part of Knight Foundation’s efforts to invest in Miami’s emerging innovators and entrepreneurs as a tool to build community, while fostering talent and expanding opportunity. Over the past two years Knight has made more than 90 investments in entrepreneurship in South Florida. 

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About AJC’s Project Interchange

For over 30 years, Project Interchange, a nonprofit educational institute of AJC (American Jewish Committee) has brought over 6,000 influential figures to Israel from 85 countries and all 50 U.S. states, offering them broad exposure and firsthand understanding of the complex issues facing Israel and the region. For more, visit projectinterchange.org.

About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. We believe that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit knightfoundation.org.

CONTACTS:

Myra Clark-Siegel, Director of Communications, Project Interchange, 310-282-8080, [email protected]

Anusha Alikhan, Director of Communications, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, 305-908-2677, [email protected]