FloridaCommerce, SelectFlorida and the Florida–Israel Business Accelerator Host Another Successful Pitch Day, Bringing Opportunity to Entrepreneurs and Driving Innovation[...]

~ To date, more than 130 Start-Ups have leveraged pitch days to highlight their businesses to prospective investors ~

Tallahassee, FL - FloridaCommerce joined SelectFlorida and the Florida-Israel Business Accelerator (FIBA) to host the 2^nd Florida-Israel Pitch Day at the Capital, following the success of the inaugural event in 2024. This event showcased seven Israeli technology companies-bringing some of the most advanced technology companies directly to Florida's policymakers, state agency leaders and investors. This full-day event was done in partnership with the Consul General of Israel in Miami, the Florida SBDC Network, the Florida Opportunity Fund, DeepWork Capital, the Florida Department of Education, the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Department of Management Services and the Florida Department of Transportation. The Pitch Day featured a series of company pitch presentations, thought-provoking discussions-emphasizing Florida's strong business climate and growing talent pipeline, and Florida's leadership in healthcare innovation-and guest speakers, all aimed at fostering collaboration and driving innovative solutions critical to Florida's economy and security.

"Under Governor DeSantis' leadership, Florida has become the 15^th largest economy in the world if it were a standalone country. That status comes with the challenge to continue accelerating the growth of our early-stage ecosystem, the opportunity to partner internationally to bring new, high-tech jobs to Florida, and the reward of attracting entrepreneurs into our great state," said Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. "Today's Florida-Israel Pitch Day fostered innovation and collaboration between start-ups, public private partners and state agencies-further strengthening Florida and Israel's economic partnership."

"Israel Pitch Day is a powerful example of how collaboration drives innovation," said Rakafet Bachur-Phillips, Co-Executive Director, Florida-Israel Business Accelerator. "By bringing Israel's most promising technology companies directly to Florida's policymakers and state agency leaders, we are helping bridge global innovation with statewide priorities in infrastructure, security, and economic development. These founders are building solutions the world needs, and Florida is the ideal environment for them to scale and succeed."

"The Florida-Israel Pitch Day is a product of years of collaboration-highlighting Florida and Israel's proud partnership in innovation and talent development," said SelectFlorida President Dr. Matt Swanson. "These events are the ideal location for companies to showcase their innovative solutions to state leaders and investors that they may otherwise not have access to-putting them in a better position to grow their businesses and, in turn, invest in our high-skill workforce and Florida's pro-business economy."

The participating companies included:
· Canary Detections
· Exodigo
· IDE Technologies
· Kela Cyber
· MySky Eco
· Ossio
· Xtend Defense

This event series gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their businesses and innovative products to potential investors. To date, more than 130 start-ups leveraged these events to highlight their businesses to prospective investors across 14 pitch days, either hosted by FloridaCommerce or one of its partners.

This event follows a series of missions and meetings that have built a thriving partnership between Florida and Israel. In May 2019, Governor Desantis led a historic leadership and business development mission to Israel , establishing more than 20 strategic partnerships and Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) between leading universities, as well as the extension of the Florida-Israel Innovation Partnership and a new MOU between Space Florida and the Israel Space Agency.

Taking place in Tallahassee, the event was designed to build stronger connections between high-growth companies, technology multipliers, venture capital firms and Florida's state agencies-showcasing Florida's robust ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship.