Israel is at the forefront of medical and life science research and commercialisation.
The Australian Israel Chamber of Commerce (AICC WA) develops partnerships and facilitates bilateral trade across many industry sectors, regularly hosting trade delegations to Israel for WA business leaders & professionals.
A large contingent of 40 delegates, led by the Hon Roger Cook MLA, Deputy Premier, and Minister for Health departed for Israel in late May to explore opportunities for research collaboration and business development.
The delegation includes leaders from WA’s main major health & medical agencies, including the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Perkins and Perron Institutes, St John of God Health Care, Australasian College of Dermatologists, Microsoft Australia, Royal Perth Hospital, Cisco, four WA’s universities, Telstra Health, Allscripts and St John Ambulance. Delegates include Dr David Russell-Weisz, Director General of Health in WA, Professor Peter Klinken AC, WA’s Chief Scientist, Dr Robyn Lawrence, Chief Executive, North Metropolitan Health Service and Professor Gary Geelhoed from The WA Health Translation Network.
The timing of this delegation sits well with the WA State Government’s investment into health and medical research. With the objective of transforming Western Australia into a leader of medical research and innovation, the May 2019 State Budget allocated additional investment into this sector. A total of $126.6 million has been provisioned over the next four years through the Future Health Research and Innovation Fund.
Highlights of the AICC(WA) Israel delegation include a showcase of medical device start-ups, diagnostic robotics, and clinical research. Digital Health ventures will be presented by the Office of Israel’s Chief Scientist, and the delegation will also visit several Healthcare Campuses to explore clinical research and commercialisation.
The delegation will be hosted one evening by the Australian Ambassador to Israel, Chris Canaan, at his residence.
The Israeli Life Sciences Industry has over 1,450 companies employing 85,000 people, attracting US$1.2 billion per annum in venture capital funding. An engine for the development of new life science focused companies are the eighteen life-science focused start-up company incubators and one designated biotechnological incubator which are privately funded and supported by the Israeli Government. Many of these are outside the major urban centres of Israel, providing relevant lessons and insights for Western Australia.
This delegation is expected to connect the Western Australian medical sector to Israeli companies with patents in biotech, nanotechnology, medical devices, specialist data analytics and cyber security technology for the medical sector, pharmaceuticals, and rehabilitation markets.
Further information regarding the delegation can be obtained from the AICC website on www.aiccwa.org.au
