The Consumer Electronics Show is often framed—no pun intended, given the abundance of AR and VR eyewear on display—as a spectacle of consumer gadgets and headline-grabbing demos. On the ground, however, CES 2026 told a very different story, and one that felt especially relevant for Michigan.
The Elevator reflects MIBA’s belief that the strongest Michigan–Israel partnerships are built with intention, focus, and momentum. Designed to help innovative Israeli companies connect meaningfully with Michigan’s ecosystem, the program creates a fast, direct path from introduction to impact.
MIBA’s work in aerospace and defense reached an important inflection point in 2025—not as a finish line, but as the foundation for what comes next. More than 300 strategic connections, six Israel defense companies joining the Elevator, and a joint MIBA–SIBAT presence at the Michigan Defense Expo (MDEX) collectively strengthened Michigan’s position as a credible U.S. landing zone for advanced Israeli defense technologies. The State of Michigan’s grant award to Capture Systems, supporting the company’s decision to locate its global Counter-UAS headquarters in Michigan, underscored what this momentum makes possible: real investment, real jobs, and long-term anchoring of global capability in the state. With Capture Systems and two of Israel’s most prominent defense companies establishing operations in the state, Michigan is quickly becoming a hub for Israeli innovation in the industry.
Founded in 1999 in Jerusalem by Prof. Amnon Shashua and Ziv Aviram, Mobileye pioneered vision-based driver assistance. Intel acquired Mobileye in 2017 for $15.3B, and Mobileye later re-listed on Nasdaq (MBLY) in 2022 with Intel retaining a majority stake.
MIBA was honored to be invited to be a part of the Midwest Innovation Delegation, sponsored by the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest. I joined eight other economic development professionals representing seven midwest states. Over five days in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, the delegation engaged directly with Israeli leaders in government and the private sector to explore concrete avenues for collaboration and investment.
After a two-year pause, the Michigan Israel Business Accelerator proudly relaunched its outbound trade missions with a robust slate of high-impact meetings. The 18-member delegation—our largest to date—was led by Ambassador John Rakolta, Jr. (ret.) and included four MIBA Board Members, uniting senior leaders from government, industry, academia, and the private sector.