Michigan Israel Business Bridge grows team in Bloomfield Hills

The Michigan Israel Business Bridge is growing its staff and its influence in metro Detroit.

The Bloomfield Hills-based, chamber-of-commerce-like organization has been making connections between the entrepreneurial ecosystems of Michigan and Israel since its launch in 2007. That includes helping companies from both regions do more business with each other and bridging not-so-obvious divides.

"It's also two different cultures you need to bridge," says Pamela Lippitt, executive director of the Michigan Israel Business Bridge. "In Israel a handshake means more than what it means here."

The non-profit, which recently doubled its staff to two people, works with both high-tech and low-tech businesses. For instance, it is hosting a roadshow for four medical device startups from Israel on March 25th. The Michigan Israel Business Bridge also helped organize Gov. Rick Snyder’s recent economic development visit to Israel.

Michigan Israel Business Bridge's members include two Israel-based auto cyber security firms (TowerSec and Argus Cyber Security) open North American offices in Michigan. It's all part of a long effort to further connect the two economies.

"It's a long process that you have to be patient with," Lippitt says.

Source: Pamela Lippitt, executive director of the Michigan Israel Business Bridge
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.