THIS WEEK'S TRIBUNE  THIS WEEK'S TRIBUNE Chamber puts Israeli, Canadian business people together through video conference
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Chamber puts Israeli, Canadian business people together through video conference |
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Written by Lynne Cohen
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Tuesday, 06 January 2009 |
OTTAWA – Despite some technical glitches, the recent video conference held by the Canada Israel Chamber of Commerce (CICC) involving Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto and Jerusalem was fascinating. Did it raise the $8 million total that the four Israeli-based businesses giving presentations are looking for? Not yet, but there is lots of hope.
Hosted by Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP in three different Canadian cities, the more than 50 business participants were treated to five-star hospitality of the law firm.
But the light, kosher breakfast, huge conference tables and good quality office chairs for maximum comfort unfortunately did not completely make up for the failed technology of the cutting-edge international communications system. The Canadians – though able to see, hear and talk to each other for most of the meeting – were unable to see the Israelis at all, and the poor quality of the sound system made the voices from Jerusalem choppy and fuzzy.
However, as CICC President David Rubin noted, speaking from Toronto, the first Breakfast-Video Conference Series: Exposing Israeli Early Stage Companies to the Canadian Market was both a time and a money saver.
CICC Vice-President Les Kom spoke from the Ottawa office: “We are a business organization relaunched more than one year ago with the help and support of the two ambassadors. We include members from Halifax to Vancouver and we have one purpose – to make money. The Israeli companies are not saying ‘give us money.’ They are saying, ‘we want to make money.’ CCIC exists to promote bilateral trade whether in Canada or Israel.”
In furtherance of these goals, CICC has held some 25 events since its inaugural meeting in May 2006.
Israeli Deputy Trade Commissioner Gaby Regev said, “We love to collaborate. When it comes to technology, Israel is all good news in this time of doom and gloom. And so far in 2008, trade between Israel and Canada has increased by 45 per cent in pharmaceuticals and chemicals. Inflation is very low in Israel.
“Israel is an export-driven economy. But in the last year we’ve had 20 per cent growth in high-tech, 11 per cent growth in mid-tech and 7 per cent growth in low-tech industries. Bill Gates himself said Israel is crucial to world technology.”
The four Israeli companies presenting their products – all in pre-production stages of development – were: WaterSheer, Cardiatec, Similat and Walk-Care.
Yossi Bornstein, a director at WaterSheer and an entrepreneur with a strong record in both the Israeli and the international pharmaceutical industry, showed the conference a revolutionary water purification system that the company was established last year to create. When completed, the handheld device will be able to scoop up the filthiest water, or even sea water, anywhere in the world and turn it into drinking water.
Cardiatec’s Avner Amir discussed and displayed Endotect, “a breakthrough, non-invasive, easy-to-use medical device for the accurate detection and monitoring of endothelial dysfunction,” a problem with the heart.
Similat introduced its latest unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance markets (ISR), a sector that will spend up to $55 billion in the next year.
Finally, a Walk-Care representative explained that its product, which is already a fully functioning prototype, is the world’s first multi-purpose medical device that combines a wheelchair and an upright standing and walking apparatus. He said, “It is for paraplegic and other…disabled people.” |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 13 January 2009 )
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