On May 8, 2017 at Commerce Rhode Island the new Rhode Island -Israel Collaborative (RIIC) was formed. Directors and executives were elected, mission statement and bylaws were approved and a resolution to legally incorporate was taken. Below you can see statement of support from the Rhode Island Secretary of Commerce, Israel Consul General to New England and Economic Minister to North America.
"In the past few years, we have had fantastic momentum building the relationship between Israel and Rhode Island, including three trade missions which have yielded partnerships across business, academia and research. (See my more detailed thoughts in an article I wrote in the Providence Journal: (See link). However, I believe that more potential exists to build value for both Israel and Rhode Island, through a more focused effort to fortify these relationships and build new ones. As such, I am proud to endorse the creation of a new, nonprofit organization, The Rhode Island-Israel Collaborative for the Promotion of Commerce, Academics and Science in an effort to bring together the best of Israel and Rhode Island to benefit both communities and economies." - Yehuda Yaakov, Israel Consul General to New England
“Enhancing the economic relationship between Israel and Rhode Island is vital for our state. The two economies share similar industry concentrations in cyber security, medical devices, defense and more. We share the outlook that partnerships among industry, universities and government create for an innovative, thriving economy for all. Furthermore, Rhode Island represents a key opportunity for Israeli companies to enter the U.S market, gain access to commercial centers and source emerging tech and other talent, all at a more affordable cost of living and doing business. We are eager for Rhode Island to be the start-up state, in partnership with the start-up nation and plan to continue reaching out to Israeli counterparts and companies to build this relationship.” - Stefan Pryor, Rhode Island Secretary of Commerce
"I am honored to endorse the creation of The Rhode Island-Israel Collaborative for the Promotion of Commerce, Academics and Science. As Economic Minister to North America, I am charged with developing and expanding partnerships between Israel and U.S. companies. My dedicated team, alongside larger organizations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, are able to accomplish a great deal, yet nothing can substitute for a focused, local organization connecting Rhode Island’s businesses and government with Israel. With full knowledge of its mission and its leadership, I believe this collaborative will be very successful and I look forward to working closely with them in the future." - Inon Elroy, Israel Economic Minister to North America