Reflections on My Visit to Israel – March 2025
Howard Handler reflects on his recent trip to Israel. Amidst both heartbreak and hope, he shares his insights on the nation’s challenges and the urgent need for support.
Howard Handler reflects on his recent trip to Israel. Amidst both heartbreak and hope, he shares his insights on the nation’s challenges and the urgent need for support.
At the end of February, the Israel MIBA team attended a most inspiring summit run by ICAR, Israel’s Collective Action for Resilience. Established soon after the atrocities of October 7, 2023, ICAR identified the fragmented nature of the nation’s mental health and trauma care and sought to streamline it. Their mission is to bring together Israeli and global leaders in the areas of psychology, medicine, investment and philanthropy to coordinate and accelerate trauma healing. They defined the summit as “a launchpad for a mental health movement.”
Israel continues to solidify its reputation as a global leader in cybersecurity innovation, with its companies dominating both public markets and pre-IPO pipelines. From market giants to unicorn startups, the country’s cyber ecosystem is thriving, attracting significant investments and positioning itself for future growth. Here’s a closer look at the latest developments shaping Israel’s cyber dominance.
The MIBA Israel team recently visited HiCenter in Haifa, Israel, a hub driving tech innovation and entrepreneurship. The visit showcased promising startups and new opportunities for Michigan-Israel collaboration. Discover the breakthroughs shaping tomorrow.
In 2024, Israel saw 20 business deals valued at over $200M each (excluding IPOs), doubling the 10 deals completed in 2023. These deals primarily involved the acquisition or merger of Israeli companies by global organizations, reflecting strong demand for Israel’s innovation and expertise. This marks a significant rebound compared to nine deals in 2022 and 21 in 2021. The companies involved represented a variety of industries, including artificial intelligence (AI), software solutions for businesses, and advancements in healthcare and life sciences.
Along with leading healthcare investors and ecosystem leaders, I was delighted to be invited to participate as a Mentor at Sheba SPARC’s IV cohort. This global entrepreneurship program is designed to provide Sheba and global medical professionals, physicians, and clinicians with business and entrepreneurial tools to enable their innovation to succeed commercially. I was proud to provide an overview of Michigan’s HealthTech ecosystem and then deliver initial business feedback as a mentor to five entrepreneurial ideas, some patented, initiated by:
The head of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Institute and the Director of Sheba’s tissue bank
A cardiologist
An ophthalmologist
A radiologist
A neuro-immunologist
It was an inspiring experience to help shape solutions that have the potential to transform global healthcare.