JERUSALEM, Israel – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis joined Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI), the Israel Innovation Authority, and the Israel-America Chamber of Commerce (AmCham Israel) as they signed a joint declaration to promote greater cooperation, strategic partnerships, and trade and investment between Israel and Florida, with a special emphasis on the healthcare industry. The goals of the joint declaration include exploring and initiating several avenues for economic and business collaboration generally and specifically in healthcare. Collaborations envisioned include the creation of one or more health-tech hubs for Israeli health-tech companies, joint research and development programs for Florida and Israeli companies in health-tech, and joint research projects for academic, research and other institutions from both Florida and Israel.

“Florida and Israel have a long-standing partnership, and this joint declaration will allow us to further benefit from increased collaboration,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Israel is an international leader in healthcare innovation, and we are proud to strengthen our partnership that will benefit Floridians and Israelis for generations to come.”

“It was an honor to sign the joint declaration with the Israel Innovation Authority and the Israel-America Chamber of Commerce today on behalf of the State of Florida,” said Laura DiBella, Florida Secretary of Commerce and President & CEO of Enterprise Florida. “Life sciences is one of Florida’s fastest-growing targeted industries, and today’s declaration will only propel us forward as we strive to bring the most revolutionary healthcare technology to the Sunshine State.”

“The Florida-Israeli connection is once again strengthened through this joint declaration that promises to bring new and exciting opportunities for trade and investment in the healthcare and tech industries,” said Secretary of State Cord Byrd. “The Florida Department of State will continue to facilitate Florida’s economic and cultural ties with our friends in Israel to ensure the stability of these partnerships which have the potential produce life-changing innovations.”

“This joint declaration focuses on the importance of cooperation in healthcare innovation between Florida and Israel, as part of the United States – Israel Healthcare Strategic Collaboration Program,” said Oded Rose, CEO, AmCham Israel.

“The ability to develop a drug suitable for a particular population, to ensure its safety, and to prove its efficacy with precision, is paving the way for faster, smarter, and cost-effective medical care,” said Dror Bin, CEO, Israel Innovation Authority. “Regulators across the globe are bracing for this trend and are becoming open to new models for testing drugs that correspond with the new era of personalized medicine. We are delighted to expand our successful collaboration with the State of Florida to the heath-tech sector. The combination of Israeli innovative technological companies and the Florida- based companies will enable the creation of cutting-edge solutions that will prove instrumental in laying the groundwork for the future of healthcare and providing superior personalized medical care.”

The Israel Innovation Authority, responsible for the country’s innovation policy, is an independent and impartial public entity that operates for the benefit of the Israeli innovation ecosystem and Israeli economy as a whole. Its role is to nurture and develop Israeli innovation resources, while creating and strengthening the infrastructure and framework needed to support the entire knowledge industry. The Israel Innovation Authority provides a variety of practical tools and funding platforms aimed at addressing the dynamic and changing needs of the local and international innovation ecosystems.

For more information, visit our site: www.innovationisrael.org.il/en

The Israel-America Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary Israel-based organization of companies whose aim is to promote two-way trade and investment between Israel and the United States.