Olmert: "The biotechnology industry receives special attention at the Ministry of Defense within the framework of the ministry's aid tools"
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health, Ehud Olmert, will open the "Biomedical 2005" conference which will be held in Tel Aviv on May 24-26. The conference, which was organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science, the Ministry of Research and Development, the Export Institute, and the organizing committee, will deal with the biotechnology and medical device industries and will include scientific and business conferences, an exhibition and sessions devoted to presentations by start-up companies.
Minister Olmert points out that "the biotechnology industry receives special attention at the Ministry of Science and Technology as part of the ministry's aid tools: in the Chief Scientist programs and the new law to encourage capital investments, this industry is given priority."
"We see this field as one of the engines of the Israeli economy in the near and distant future," adds the minister.
Minister Olmert sent letters of invitation to personalities and senior officials in the global industry to visit "Biomedical 2005". Also, Minister Olmert brought up the subject of the event during his meetings with leading businessmen from around the world.
"It is clear to all of us that the Israeli industry, blessed with talent in these fields, must have a close relationship with relevant parties from abroad such as multinational pharmaceutical companies, dedicated venture capital funds and international R&D bodies. These connections will allow the Israeli companies to raise the necessary investments to continue the development of the products and medicines, as well as break into foreign markets," says Minister Olmert.
Oded Distel, from the Foreign Trade Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says before the event that the event is gaining interest from all over the world "We anticipate the arrival of delegations and businessmen from over 15 countries".
The Israeli industry includes about 480 companies. It is a young, promising and dynamic industry. An amazing fact is that 52% of the companies were founded in the last five years. The life sciences industry concentrated about 22% of the total venture capital investments in Israel in 2004, about $322 million.
In the last half of the year, the economic annexes of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held: seminars, press conferences, personal meetings and participated in exhibitions, all with the aim of reaching the target audiences and convincing them to visit Israel this coming May.
These days, delegations and businessmen from Australia, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, India, Taiwan, France, Italy, Great Britain, Ireland, Cyprus, Germany, the USA and even Uruguay are being registered.
Some of the delegations will be headed by ministers or deputy ministers - Singapore, Cyprus, Thailand, and Uruguay, and senior officials of multinational companies are also expected to arrive.
Mark Levin, President of the Millennium Pharmaceutical Company from the USA. Senior representatives from SK BT from Korea, Dr. Jonathan Trent from NASA, Dr. Murray Lampkin from the American Licensing and Inspection Organization FDA, a delegation from Italy of 25 businessmen and journalists, including 3 companies The most prominent pharma in Italy. A delegation from Australia of 15 businessmen headed by the President of the Australian Manufacturers Association and Dr. Nabil Hana from the Invision Bio-Therapy Company from the USA.
It should be noted that the great interest shown by key players from around the world in "Biomedical 2005" is a certificate of honor for the Israeli industry.
