TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Florida-Israel Business Accelerator (FIBA) proudly announces that they have entered into an agreement with the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to collaborate on the production of innovative technologies. The Cooperative Research & Development Agreement (CRADA) establishes a partnership between the two organizations in which FIBA cohorts will produce products or services that will fill technology capability shortfalls for SOCOM.
“We are excited to establish a partnership with such a dynamic organization,” said Dr. Vicki Rabenou, President and CEO of the Florida-Israel Business Accelerator. “Many Israeli startups have been founded by entrepreneurs with military backgrounds. To be able to work with SOCOM will be a tremendous draw for them and to create innovations with such a profound impact is even more appealing.”
SOCOM spends over $3 billion a year on procurement, including an R&D budget of $538 million in 2016. SOCOM’s small size and independent budgetary authority (headquartered in Tampa, Florida) gives the agency both flexibility and an advantage over the rest of the US armed service branches in technology acquisition.
As part of the CRADA, members of FIBA cohorts will have the opportunity to develop innovative technologies, materials, components, material combinations, software, modeling, simulations, and systems for the Science and Technology Directorate at the Special Operations Forces Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Center (SOF AT&L-ST). This group within SOCOM is charged with the task of conducting research, development, testing and evaluation activities through the execution of applied research and advanced technology development efforts. The innovations that FIBA cohorts will present to SOCOM will be in the areas of medical technologies, biometrics, mobility, cyber-security, remote sensor power and energy among other areas. FIBA cohorts will also have the potential to receive information, feedback, data sets, the use of government-furnished equipment, including software, when agreed to enable their ability to support SOCOM technology needs through research and development.
About The Florida-Israel Business Accelerator
Launched in 2016 by the Tampa Jewish Community Centers & Federation, the Florida Israel Business Accelerator (FIBA) is a Florida-based technology accelerator, designed to establish and grow successful, high-growth Israeli tech ventures in the Tampa Bay area. Our primary goal is to help best in breed Israeli hi-tech start-up companies scale and reach their full growth potential in the USA. The Florida-Israel Business Accelerator is designed to meet the needs of both seed and early stage companies, The Florida-Israel Business Accelerator provides deep industry expertise through structured programming, one-on-one consulting sessions, curated access to an expanded group of industry experts and exposure to a syndicate of potential investors. FIBA is sponsored by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO). To learn more, visit our website at www.fiba.io.
