By Suzanne Pollak and Carolyn Conte of the Baltimore Jewish Times.

The Maryland/Israel Development Center, The Embassy of Israel, Cybersecurity Association of Maryland and Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, LLP are co-sponsoring a webinar on October 22nd, “International Cybersecurity Partners: Maryland and Israel”.

Nonprofits are being hacked more frequently than ever, and the global pandemic is only making matters worse.

“We do see a steep increase,” in cybersecurity breaches, said Asaf Weisberg, founder and CEO of introSight and board director of ISACA, an international association that assists technology professionals and their companies around the world. “The intensity is higher than before.”

Because of the increased local threats, the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland, the Maryland Israel Development Center, the Embassy of Israel, and Whiteford, Taylor & Preston LLP will offer a webinar Oct. 22 for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. A panel of experts will discuss solutions, grant opportunities and insight on emerging technology trends. Four Israeli cybersecurity companies will share their insights and techniques on how to stay ahead of hackers.

“Israel and Maryland are global hotspots of cybersecurity development and, too often, targets of cybersecurity attacks. Our panel of experts will discuss emerging cyber threats and technological solutions they have developed on the front lines of cyber protection,” said webinar moderator Howard Feldman, who is partner and co-chair of Data Security and Privacy Practice, Whiteford, Taylor & Preston LLP as well as a MIDC board member.

Hackers are taking advantage of the pandemic as more people work from home, often using computers that do not have the latest antivirus software. “People are working outside their comfort zones, and the attackers are taking advantage of that,” Weisberg said from his home in Israel.

Last month, The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington announced hackers stole $7.5 million from the United Jewish Endowment Fund and diverted that money into international accounts. The hackers went for the money and did not steal donor information, according to the Federation, which also noted that the incident was not believed to be a hate crime.

Weisberg said that was common. Hackers strive to get the most money from easy, vulnerable targets. Usually, an attack on a Jewish nonprofit is not an anti-Semitic incident. “If the intentions are criminal, they don’t care if you are Jewish or not. They are after the money,” he said.

Taking money from an account or encrypting files and then demanding money to restore the information, which is called ransomware, are the two most common ways of hacking organizations, and they are not new, he said.

A third way, however, has arisen recently. Hackers pretending to be IT professionals text company employees to say they are eligible for a COVID-19 grant and then go on to ask for sensitive information, something that should never be divulged to a stranger.

Local organizations are aware and cautious.

At the Baltimore Jewish Council, The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore maintains a robust system of security to similarly prevent hackers and threats. This includes regular trainings for employees and periodic tests.

“We are aware that there are a lot of risks, and what happened with the D.C. Federation has certainly prompted all of us to review our policies and procedures,” said Howard Libit, executive director of the BJC. “I know that our IT experts are constantly looking at ways to strengthen our systems.”

According to The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, they train staff in all organizations (including BJC) to be aware of suspicious activities, too.

A recent survey by ISACA found that only 51% of technology professionals are highly confident that their cybersecurity teams can detect and respond to a cybersecurity attack, Weisberg noted. Only 59% believe their cybersecurity team has the right tools and resources to perform their job effectively.

The survey included more than 3,700 IT and cybersecurity professionals from 123 countries.

Almost all those taking the survey — 92% — say that cyberattacks on individuals are increasing and 87% of the respondents believe that the quick transition to working from home due to the global pandemic has increased data protection and privacy risk.

That is what is believed to have happened to the D.C. Federation. Since then, Federation employees are not permitted to use their personal computers for work, and passwords have been changed.

Those are important steps, Weisberg said. He strongly recommended that all companies, no matter how small the workforce or its budget, either hire a cybersecurity officer or designate a current employee to be responsible for all such matters. “You need someone to coordinate,” he said.

While Weisberg understands that many nonprofits don’t have additional funds for this, he stressed, “it’s the cost of doing business.”

If employees only use company computers, it is easier to ensure those computers have the latest antivirus software and all updates are done regularly.

Often, personal computers are not updated. Another problem is that many home computers are used by several family members. “You never know where your kids are browsing,” Weisberg said, making it harder to ensure no one goes to an insecure site.

During October, National CyberSecurity Awareness Month, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued tips to be secure at work. The department recommends that everyone treat their business information as they do their personal information and never share personally identifiable information through tax forms and payroll accounts. Use strong passwords that are not easy to guess, and keep all software updated to the latest version available. Turn on automatic updates and set security software to run regular scans.

The federal agency also advises limiting the use of social media. “By searching Google and scanning your organization’s social media sites, cybercriminals can gather information about your partners and vendors, as well as human resources and financial departments,” it notes.

It only takes one slip. Many data breaches are traced back to a single security vulnerability, phishing attempt or incidence of accidental exposure. Do not click on unknown links, delete suspicious messages right away, and when in doubt, don’t open it.

https://www.jewishtimes.com/113010/cybersecurity-expert-warns-it-only-takes-one-slip/miscellaneous/

COVID-19 shutdown the skies, grounding companies that work internationally. “You can’t go hide in a cave and wait for this to blow over,” Maryland/Israel Development Center (MIDC) executive director Barry Bogage told The Jerusalem Post. “You need to remain visible.”

To help, MIDC will hold a special webinar on September 15th at 3:00 pm Israel time (8:00 am US EDT) targeted specifically toward Israeli businesses that are looking for tactics to stay in touch with their corporate partners abroad or to expand overseas despite the pandemic. The webinar, “How to Stay in Touch with Your Customers During the Coronavirus Pandemic,” is expected to feature a team of diverse professionals in the defense, medical device and artificial intelligence arenas.

Bogage said that it is the companies that stay in touch with the Federal Government and other big players now that will eventually score a major deal later.  Bogage has been helping Americans and Israelis do business together for more than 20 years. He helped found MIDC under former Maryland governor William Donald Schaefer. He said that for Israelis, Baltimore and Rockville, Maryland are soft landing spots.Baltimore has a large orthodox Jewish community and Rockville has so many Israelis living in it, he said, that some joke they are living in a kibbutz.

From a business standpoint, Bogage said, Maryland is also a good fit. He said the residents are some of the most educated in the country due to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the FDA offices and the National Institute of Health being there.

“Many scientists create their own companies,” he said. The area is also home to John Hopkins University and the University of Maryland.“The US Federal Government is the largest buyer of Hi-Tech solutions in the world,” he told the Post, and as Maryland is close to Washington, DC, but less expensive, the location allows businessmen to be in touch with what’s going on and “know what’s coming down the line,” he said.    The US government, he said, often prefers to do business with larger Israelis companies, such as Elbit or Lockheed Martin. However, these companies often set up teams and work with smaller companies to help them get the job done and Israel’s innovative companies can often do business on this front.

One of the services MIDC offers is BizRep USA, a free service designed to help Israeli companies gain a better understanding of how to work in the US now when COVID-19 disrupted many of the previously held practices and norms.

The upcoming webinar will include talks by marketing expert David Warshawski, Textron Vice-President Steve Mensh, Advance Business Sales Director Tim West, and will be led by MIDC board member Gail Javitt, herself an expert of law and medical devices with the law firm Hyman, Phelps & McNamara. “Americans want to learn about Israel, and Israelis want to do business in the US,” Bogage concluded. The webinar will take place at 3 p.m. Israel time. To learn more: https://marylandisrael.org/.

To register for the September 15th webinar, click here>>>.

As the coronavirus pandemic grounds international trade and travel, the MIDC is starting BizRepUSA, a free service to help Israeli companies stay active in the U.S. market. BizRepUSA will help Israeli companies find qualified business development representatives in the U.S. market while they are prevented from traveling during the coronavirus pandemic.

Through the free BizRepUSA program, the MIDC will introduce Israeli executives and entrepreneurs to experienced business development professionals with specific industry expertise and networks in high tech industries including medical technology, biotechnology, digital health, environment, cybersecurity, information technology, homeland security, and defense. The MIDC will recruit and screen the business development representatives and post their profiles on its website for Israeli companies to review and select. Upon mutual consent, the MIDC will introduce the business development professionals and Israeli company executives to directly negotiate their own contractual arrangements regarding responsibilities, time and payment.

If you are an experienced Maryland business development professional interested in representing Israeli companies in the U.S. with knowledge and networks in specific industries, please contact MIDC Executive Director Barry Bogage at bbogage@MarylandIsrael.org.

For Israeli companies interested in finding professional business development representation in the U.S., please review the profiles on our website at https://marylandisrael.org/bizrepusa/. Then notify the MIDC about with representatives you are interested in and the MIDC will make the introduction.

On May 6, the Maryland/Israel Development Center organized an online conference on the work being done in the medical research community to combat COVID-19, featuring representatives from three different Israeli medical companies. Read the entire article written by the Baltimore Jewish Times>>>.

The Maryland/Israel Development Center (MIDC) was proud to host the Israeli Defense Technology Trade Mission to Maryland from March 10-13^th, in partnership with the Israel Ministry of Defense’s SIBAT International Cooperation Directorate. SIBAT, which helps Israeli defense companies export their products and technologies, recruited the delegation of eight companies (see below).

While in Maryland, the delegation participated in over 115 one-on-one meetings with Maryland companies to discuss collaboration. They also attended workshops on doing business in the U.S. defense and homeland security industries, including a session with Maryland’s foremost homeland security leaders including Gen. Linda Singh, Adjutant General of the Maryland National Guard and Cal Bowman, Deputy Director of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security.

The timing was perfect for the delegation visit because of the new requirements for U.S. military aid to Israel which requires that all of the U.S. funding, totaling $3.8 billion per year for 10 years, now needs to be spent in the United States, whereas previously 24% of the funds could be spent in Israel. The Israeli companies that benefit from the funding now need to do that work in the U.S. either through subcontracting to American companies or opening their own facilities. The MIDC’s goal is to attract those opportunities to Maryland.

Maryland Secretary of Commerce Kelly Schultz kicked off the conference at the opening dinner by delivering Gov. Hogan’s message that “Maryland is Open for Business,” especially for defense companies given that Maryland is home to the headquarters of the National Security Agency, the U.S. Cyber Command, Lockheed Martin and many other defense companies.

MIDC Chairman Alvin Katz, remarked on Maryland’s long economic development partnership with Israel stemming back to the Declaration of Cooperation signed by Gov. William Donald Schaefer and Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Moshe Arad in 1988.

The opening session was sponsored by bwtech@UMBC, the research and development park at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) with a welcome by Barry Bogage, Executive Director of the Maryland/Israel Development Center (MIDC) and Todd Dolbin, Business Development Manager of the Baltimore County Department of Economic Development. Rod Rodriguez, Vice President of Elta North America, delivered the opening keynote on “Lessons from Elta’s U.S. Market Entry.”

The “State and Local Homeland Security and Law Enforcement Technology Trends, Strategies and Needs,” panel was moderated by Howard Feldman, Partner, Whiteford Taylor & Preston and MIDC Board member. Panelists included:

• Cal Bowman, Deputy Director of Governor’s Office of Homeland Security
• General Linda Singh, Adjutant General, Maryland National Guard
• Lieutenant Colonel Fred Damron, Deputy Chief of Police, Maryland Transit Police
• Major Corey McKenzie, Special Operations Division, Maryland Transportation Authority Police
• Scott Canter, Commander, Homeland Security and Criminal Intelligence, Baltimore County Police Department
• David Engel, Director, Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center, Maryland State Police

Lynn Stein Benzion, Director of Business Retention and Expansion for the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, kicked off the second day of the delegation visit at the Universities of Shady Grove in Rockville.

The “Foreign Military Funding Opportunities and Teaming with Prime Contractors” panel was moderated by MIDC member Sam Feigin, Partner, Crowell Moring. Panelists were:

• Adelicia Cliffe, Partner, Crowell Moring,
• Chaim Kagedan, Deputy General Counsel, Israel Ministry of Defense Mission to the U.S.
• Steve Keefe, CEO, Patriot Technology

The afternoon session “Capturing Government Business: Strategies for the Success,” was moderated by Amanda Bresler, President, PW Communications. Panelists included:

• BAE Systems
• Senior Vice President, Business Development, Leonardo DRS, and President, DRS International
• Senior Vice President, ECR Division Business Development, ICF International

The Embassy of Israel hosted a welcome reception for the visiting delegation featuring remarks on the Maryland/Israel partnership from Walter “Pete” Landon, Homeland Security Director and Deputy Chief of Staff, to Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, Benjamin Krasna, Deputy Ambassador, Embassy of Israel, and General David Bassett of the U.S. Army.

Capitol Hill was the scene of the final day of the delegation visit featuring Maryland’s Congressional representatives including Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger and Anthony Brown.

MIDC board member Lew Berman, Vice President of ICF International, moderated a panel focused on “Doing Business with DOD, DHS and the Alphabet Soup of Government Agencies,” featuring:

• Jeffrey Grover, Senior Procurement Analyst, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Acquisition and Sustainment
• Carla Thomas, Communications and Industry Liaison, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
• Steve Mensh, Executive Vice President, Textron Systems
• Rick Dunn, Founder, Strategic Institute for Innovations in Government Contracting
• Eyal Banai, CEO, Mistral Group

To read about the Israeli defense, homeland and cybersecurity companies, click here >>>.

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August 2018

In recognition of Israel’s 70th anniversary, the Maryland/Israel Development Center (MIDC) hosted a series of events throughout the state showcasing Israeli companies with offices in several Maryland counties.

The MIDC thanks its co-sponsors:  Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation, Baltimore Chamber of Commerce, Baltimore County Economic & Workforce Development, Frederick County Office of Economic Development, Howard County Economic Development Authority, Maryland Chamber of Commerce, Maryland Tech Council, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, and the World Trade Center Institute.  Additionally, MIDC’s 2018 Strategic Partners sponsored the series.

Kicking off the Start Up Nation series was “Taste of Business-Israel” with the World Trade Center Institute in partnership with the MIDC. Eran Nitzan, the Embassy of Israel’s Minister of Economic Affairs, and Bruce Spector, CEO, Electronic Technology Associates, addressed the crowd at The Cordish Company’s Spark facility in Baltimore City.

Minister Nitzan spoke about promoting the economic relationship between Israel and the United States, both through the advancement of Israel’s ties to the American government and the international institutions in Washington DC, as well as through the promotion of the Israeli government’s relations with the business sector. He credited much of Israel’s global success to Israel’s entrepreneurial spirit to programs like incubators and accelerators; engines of growth to kick-start certain industries such as hospitals for medical devices and the military for defense, cyber and IT; as well as a well-trained workforce with experienced managers and executives and private resources like venture capital.

The Baltimore Cyber Range is powered by Israel’s Cyberbit Range Platform, a cybersecurity simulation and training environment that enables security teams to train in realistic settings. This hands-on experience expands cyber professionals’ knowledge base and enhances their skills to keep pace with evolving cyber threats. In addition, the training offered through the Baltimore Cyber Range, a joint venture between Cyberbit and Electronic Technology Associates of Baltimore, promotes team building and enables cyber teams to respond more quickly and more effectively to complex and advanced attacks.

Speaking at both the Montgomery County and Baltimore County events was Yifat Alon Perel, the Embassy of Israel’s Trade and Economic Minister. She gave a brief overview of “Israel’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem” and highlighted that Israel has a significant impact on global innovation and Israeli companies are well connected throughout the world. Israeli’s strong education system provides a pipeline of skilled talents that supports innovative sectors. Israel invests in R&D at one of the highest rates in the world. The military plays a key role in innovation and expansion of technological sectors including health, robotics, cyber security, missile defense systems and drones used both for defense and civil uses (such as precise agriculture). To view a PowerPoint on Israel’s Economy, click here>>>.

Lt. Colonel Pini Brosh, Israeli’s Missile Defense Organization Liaison Officer headlined the Howard County event and shared how Israel’s high-tech prowess led to the groundbreaking missile defense systems, known as Arrow, David Sling and the Iron Dome system. He also discussed how the U.S./Israel partnership that developed the anti-missile systems benefits both Israel and the United States.

In addition to the presenting companies the Montgomery County event speakers were James C. Edgemond, Treasurer and Vice President, Strategic Financial Planning, United Therapeutics; David Petr, CEO, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation; Tami Howie, CEO, Maryland Tech Council; Yifat Alon Perel, Minister for Economic and Trade Affairs, Embassy of Israel and Barry Bogage, Executive Director, MIDC. United Therapeutics hosted the event.

Speakers at the Baltimore County Start Up Nation event were: Mike Gill, Secretary, Maryland Department of Commerce, Yifat Alon Perel, Minister for Economic and Trade Affairs, Embassy of Israel; Will Anderson, Baltimore County’s Executive Director of Economic & Workforce Development; Brent Howard, Director of Membership, Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce; Steve Dubin, Chair MIDC, and Barry Bogage, Executive Director, MIDC. BWTech @ UMBC hosted the event.

Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman spoke at the Start Up Nation Howard County event along with Vernon Thompson, Deputy Director, Howard County Economic Development Authority; Lt. Col. Pinhas ‘Pini’ Brosh, Missile Defense Liaison Officer, Office of the Ministry of Defense Attaché, Embassy of Israel; Steve Dubin, MIDC Chair, and Barry Bogage, Executive Director, MIDC. The Universities Space Research Association hosted the event.

Patriot Technologies President Steve Keefe hosted and spoke at the Frederick County event along with Jodie Bollinger, Business Development Manager, Frederick County Office of Economic Development; Alvin Katz, newly elected Chair, MIDC, and Barry Bogage, Executive Director, MIDC.

 

Participating Companies:

ELTA North America is a global leader in the design, manufacture and support of innovative electronic systems for the United States government. These proven high-performance systems and a focus on customer satisfaction are the foundations of the company’s commitment to providing solutions to the nation’s warfighters, security personnel and first responders. The company provides solutions in the ground, maritime, airborne and security domains. For more information, click here>>>.

Integrated Systems Research Corporation (ISR Corporation)) is a pioneer in the IoT fleet telematics industry and has installed custom fleet management systems for numerous governmental and commercial clients around the world. With ISR FleetTrack®, a cloud-based browser application, real-time GPS tracking, event recording and a new array of safety features allow fleet managers to better utilize resources to save time, fuel, money, and overtime. ISR’s fleet management reports allow managers to see what their fleet vehicles did yesterday, last week, last month or any period you need to review. Ron Smith, National Sales Manager, ISR Corporation presented. For more information about ISR Corporation, click here >>>.

Jedvice delivers unique solutions for the deployment and operation of security systems based on extensive field experience at the most threatened sites in the Israeli security market. Jedvice has developed JedEye, a mobile solution that delivers contextual and intuitive situational awareness directly to field responder JedEye grants tactical advantage to field responders by accelerating and improving their response to emergency situations such as active shooter incidents.As a solution that bolts-on to existing surveillance infrastructure, JedEye revolutionizes the use of cameras and sensors to facilitate proactive security and daily monitoring operations. Eran Jedwab, Founder & CEO, Jedvice presented.  For a complete brochure click here>>> and for a short summary of Jedvice, click here>>>. For more information on Jedvice go to www.jedvice.com

Dr. Inbar Freiderich Ben-Nun, Senior Manager, Cell Therapy Research & Development, Lonza, Walkersville, research and work is devoted to novel technologies and methods to enable the transition from early stage cell therapy production to commercial, viable, life-saving products. She spoke about Lonza’s new research and development Collaborative Innovation Center (CIC) in Haifa, Israel which will be designed to leverage Israel’s scientific strengths in engineering, software and cell/molecular biology. With the launch of the CIC, Lonza aims to accelerate leading research & development (R&D) projects from across Lonza’s pharma & biotech divisions.

The CIC will have a dedicated Lonza R&D team in Israel, who will work with local industry and academic experts through collaborations and sponsored research.

Lonza’s headquarters is in Basel, Switzerland, and is a global leader in pharma & biotech, boasting over 1,000 trademarks and 14,600 employees worldwide spanning 3 continents with 29 manufacturing plants. For more information go to www.lonza.com.

Medispec is the “oldest” Israeli company in Maryland since 1992 and is a market leader in the development of state-of-the-art, non-invasive shock wave and radial wave technologies, offering a safe and reliable alternative to major surgeries.

As a leading designer and manufacturer headquartered in Maryland, Medispec specializes in shockwave-based systems for urology, cardiovascular and orthopedic applications.  With over 5,000 installations worldwide from governments, universities, hospitals to private institutions spread over 80 countries, Medispec’s business operations extend to nearly all continents including offices in Germany, Japan, Israel and Peru.

Partnering with physicians and medical facilities nationwide, Medispec consistently delivers advanced technologies and cost-efficient solutions. Its proficient clinical and service teams promote and ensure a superior experience for patients, physicians and medical facility staff.

To learn more about Medispec products and services, click here>>>.

Nayax (www.nayax.com) is a global leader in the engineering and manufacturing of cashless devices currently used in hundreds of thousands of unattended machines in over 55 countries around the world. Nayax has over eight international offices including one in Baltimore.

Harry Kozlovsky presented on behalf of Nayax. His presentation can be found here.

Nayax has leveraged its international leadership in engineering high-tech cashless devices for unattended machines, to also develop machines for three emerging growth sectors:

1. Real Estate Investors or Professionals – Sometime today in the near future, you will be looking at Electric Vehicle (EV) charging for your properties. Nayax has leveraged its easy open cashless payment device into its EV Meter, with low cost of entry, open and easy payment, and a convenient EV Charging Station that is perfect for apartment complexes, government buildings, parking garages, malls, hospitals, sports venues, movie theaters, restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, country clubs, and more.
2. Non-Profit Board Members/Leadership – Bring in additional donations by meeting potential contributors where they and offering them the easiest, most convenient (and cool) way to make fast donations by clicking here>>> and here.
3. Micro-Markets – Grab and Go alternative to vending machines and click here>>>.

For details, contact Harry Kozlovsky, Executive Customer Success Manager, at harry@nayax.com or 410-302-9015.

Patriot Technologies is a TS Level Cleared ITAR Registered Facility in Frederick, MD and has been providing solutions for mission and critical applications since 1996.

On June 19, 2018, Patriot Technologies hosted “Gateways to Success,” in conjunction with the Frederick county Department of Economic Development featuring Frederick/Israel business opportunities and grants for R&D collaboration.

Patriot President and CEO Steve Keefe discussed business opportunities working with Israeli companies having done business in Israel for over 15 years.

Patriot Technologies has over 22 years of experience in creating solutions for military, defense and intelligence programs to assist US and foreign initiatives.  Patriot continues to apply its expertise and creativity for innovative cyber security solutions to support a wide variety of mission goals with special expertise in mobility and public safety for emergency personal and first responders, linking EMS vehicles and ground personnel with in-building public safety agency frequencies.  Patriot brings decades of wireless product design and systems experience including the design, installation and commissioning of complex mobile systems for homeland security, emergency personnel services, as well as cellular and PCS communication networks.

For more information go to www.patriot-tech.com

Sepio Systems is a pioneer in securing organizations against attacks via rogue hardware devices. Strategic cyber weapon technology has been leaked. Now, this technology is currently in the hands of criminal organizations that are using it against civilian commercial targets with no defenses against it. These enterprises never suspect that the seemingly legitimate devices they are using have been compromised, allowing access to key assets—often over long periods of time.

The Sepio security suite detects infected peripherals or altered and malicious device behavior, isolates the attack and triggers alerts, stopping the rogue hardware before it can jeopardize normal operations. Founded by cyber security experts from private industry and government agencies, Sepio Systems is the first security solution on the market that identifies and blocks malicious hardware devices before they cause harm.

Sepio Systems is headquartered in Maryland, with offices in New York and South Carolina. The Research and Development Center in based Tel-Aviv, Israel. Sepio Systems’s presenter was Greg Poch, Vice President, Sales. For more information go to www.sepio.systems.

Sesame Enable is the newest Israeli company in Maryland. Sesame Enable was founded by and for people with disabilities, with one mission in mind, to provide a bridge between people’s physical abilities and access to the mobile revolution. Sesame Enable provides touch-free access to “smart” devices for people with limited to no use of their hands.  Shai Eilat, head of US operations, was the presenter.  To view Sesame Enable’s presentation, click here >>>and for a one sheet summary of Sesame Enable, click here>>>. For more information on Sesame Enable, go to www. sesame-enable.com.

VAYA™ focuses on developing drug-free, clinically-validated products for the dietary management of disorders that are associated with lipid imbalances in the brain, such as Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Early Memory Impairment (EMI).  VAYA’s products deliver nutritionally-based solutions that have been shown through robust clinical trials to be safe and effective. VAYA’s innovative products address the lipid nutritional needs of people with health conditions that cannot be met through modification of diet alone. To read more about Vayarin click here>>>;  to learn about Vayarin Plus click here>>> and for Vayacog click here>>>.

Michelle Cuccia, CEO of VAYA presented. For more information go to www.vayapharma.com.

Photos from the Start Up Nation Series

Taste of Business Israel:

Montgomery County Event

Baltimore County Event

Howard County Event

Frederick County Event

   

 

 

Grants for new product development up to $1 million are available from the U.S.-Israel Binational Industrial R&D (BIRD) Foundation. Contact the MIDC for more information contact Barry Bogage. Upcoming submission deadlines are:

February 15, 2018 – BIRD NextGen First Responders Technologies, click for call for proposals and for capability gap and March 1, 2018 – BIRD Foundation, click for call for proposals.

Sesame Enable, an Israeli company recently set up offices in Maryland, reaping benefits from Governor Hogan’s 2016 Trade Mission to Israel.  Lonza Announces the formation of a new research and development Collaborative Innovation Center in Israel.

Read articles about Sesame Enable: https://marylandisrael.org/2017/11/israeli-tech-company-opens-u-s-headquarters-in-bethesda/ and Governor Hogan’s website: http://governor.maryland.gov/2017/11/13/israeli-tech-firm-opens-u-s-headquarters-in-maryland/ and https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2017/11/13/israeli-tech-company-opens-u-s-headquarters-in.html.

To read about Lonza see below: http://www.lonza.com/about-lonza/media-center/news/Tensid/2017-10-09-13-00-English.aspx and https://www.lonza.com/custom-manufacturing/capabilities-overview/our-sites/walkersville-md-usa.aspx.

                                  

2017 Highlights

MIDC’s 25^th Anniversary

The MIDC celebrated its 25^th anniversary in May 2017 at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Alvin Katz, chaired the event with Governor Larry Hogan as the keynote speaker. Barry Bogage, Executive Director, was honored for his 25 years of service with the Hanan Y. Sibel Maryland/Israel Business Leadership Award. See photos and 25^th anniversary booklet.

Maryland/Israel Company Highlights

• Ametrine, developers of next generation camouflage technology; met during Governor Hogan’s trade mission; was recently was awarded a Montgomery County MOVE grant for its new facility in Rockville.
• Elta North America, moved into their new facility in Annapolis Junction, tripling in size.
• Cyberbit, the cyber security subsidiary of Israel defense company Elbit, opened a cyber security training facility in Baltimore, called Baltimore Cyber Range, with a local firm, Electronic Technology Associates.
• Insfocus, developer of business intelligence software for the insurance industry was introduced to co-working spaces in Rockville and Gaithersburg and opened a “virtual office” at Launch Workplaces in Gaithersburg.
• The MIDC assisted Lonza, a Swiss biotech company with a large presence in Frederick County, with opening an R&D center in Israel.
• Mantaro Networks, Germantown-based robotics company, working with Beeper Communications of Israel on robotics technologies received a $900,000 BIRD Foundation grant for a joint research project on robotics. Beeper is planning to open a Germantown office near Mantaro. This marks the third successive round of BIRD grant awards where Maryland has had a project approved. (KeyGene received a grant in the last round and Brimrose before that).
• Sesame Enable, an Israel-based technology firm, has opened its United States headquarters in Bethesda near the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The company has developed a proprietary technology, known as Open Sesame, that enables people to operate a smartphone through head movements and voice control if they cannot use their hands to control the device’s touch screen. Maryland is one of the first states to adopt this technology, which is now available to citizens through the state’s Maryland Accessible Telecommunications (MAT) program administered by the Department of Information Technology (DoIT).

2017 Membership & Strategic Partners

Four Maryland county economic development agencies became members of the MIDC for the first time, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard and Montgomery Counties. MIDC had a record number of Strategic Partners with benefits that include year-round recognition on our website as well as listing these companies on handouts to potential Israeli companies.

State-wide Events

• MIDC’s 25^th Anniversary celebration headlined the year.
• Young Professionals gathering in Montgomery County with Israeli companies
• MIDC Day at the Embassy of Israel included the Commercial, ISA (Israel Security Agency, “Shin Bet”) and Political Affairs Attachés.
• A science-to-technology program with Israeli entrepreneurs sponsored by the MIDC and ScienceAbroad. Programs were held at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda and hosted in Baltimore by Sinai Hospital/LifeBridge Health.
• Technologies of the Future with Maryland Secretary of Transportation Pete Rahn, MTA/MDOT Administrator Kevin Quinn on the Mobileye/MTA/MDOT. The State of Maryland is working with Israeli Company Mobileye using collusion software technology from Mobileye. An MTA bus was parked at the event and a team of experts explained the objectives of the pilot project. Mantaro Networks/Beeper Israel and Roboteam demoed their newest robotic technologies.

Sponsors and Founding Partners

The Maryland/Israel Development Center is a non-profit membership organization that promotes bi-lateral trade and investment. It is a “public-private partnership” of the Maryland Department of Commerce, Israel’s Ministry of Economy, and The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore. Additional partners include the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development. The MIDC is grateful for the continued and support.