The Port of Ashdod, located south of Tel Aviv, Israel, and leaders from five Greater New Orleans business organizations have signed a letter of intent to create an ‘Innovation Embassy.’
“This partnership capitalizes on legacy industries that have driven each of these economies for centuries, while leaning into the growth opportunities that emerging technologies can create for the future,” said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc. in a press release. “
And continued: The participating Israeli and Louisiana startups will have a unique opportunity to work with global leaders in port operations, while being exposed to growth best practices from their counterparts and entrepreneurship ecosystem leadership. This collaboration is a direct result of the visit to Israel last summer, and demonstrates the value in exploring locations that pose mutual economic benefit for each other.”
Both ports will focus on knowledge sharing, joint business development and potential development of dual infrastructure like the ‘Ashdod Port Accelerator Program’. This program will incorporate technology into its partnership with the New Orleans coalition through an ‘Innovation Embassy.”
That means, the program will focus on Louisiana maritime growth, support for early-stage entrepreneurs and maximizing efficiency on the lower Mississippi River.
The media outlet ‘Biz New Orleans’ gives some background: “This partnership was forged during a 2022 trade mission to Israel hosted by the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, which featured multi-sector exposure for participating companies from Louisiana. This trip offered knowledge sharing in several targeted industries, presenting participants with new potential business relationships in a new global market.”