Haifa’s Rambam Works With Georgia Institute to Help Medtech Startups

Israel’s Rambam Health Care Campus and Georgia’s Institute of Technology affiliate, the Global Center for Medical Innovation (GCMI), have announced that they are partnering to start a new mediical technology incubator for Israeli-based startups in Atlanta. GCMI, along with Rambam doctors and specialists from various fields will provide, expert advice and consultation to Israeli companies at the new Biomedical and Digital Health Innovation Center to help them obtain funding, navigate commercialization and regulatory clearance and other necessities for entering the US health-care market, the organizations said in a statement.

Rafi Beyar, CEO and of Rambam Health Care Campus, said he was “excited by this unique and promising partnership which is a win-win for Israel and Atlanta. Rambam’s highly advanced Med-Tech ecosystem, based in and around Haifa, Israel’s largest northern city, can benefit from the deep knowledge of Georgia’s Global Center for Medical Innovation in how to most efficiently get its medical products to the market and in doing so, help patients around the world.”

“Israeli engineering and entrepreneurial expertise regularly translate to medical devices capable of improving patient outcomes while driving the overall cost of care down in many parts of the world, including the United States. We believe our commercialization pathway expertise will increase the speed at which Israeli medtech innovations achieve key milestones and ultimately FDA clearance for use in the United States,” said GCMI CEO Tiffany Wilson.

Companies selected for the incubator will be hosted for between six and 12 months, depending on milestones agreed upon prior to admission. Working with the organizations on the project are the Consulate General of Israel to the Southeast, Connex America Israel Business Connector, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. “The commitment to the joint Biomedical and Digital Health Innovation Center reflects the Government of Israel recent designation of the State of Georgia as a key-state, recognizing Atlanta as a proven technology hub, and affirming the strong commercial and technological ties between the two states,” Ambassador and Consul General of Israel to the S.E U.S. Judith Shorer said.

“This relationship efficiently bridges a key gap in market access for Israeli-based health-care innovators seeking to bring their products to bear on patient care in the United States to the benefit of all concerned. Basing this accelerator in Atlanta not only strengthens the ties between both communities, it provides superior access to potential customers, vendor and manufacturer partners,” said Connex CEO Guy Tessler.