Haifa U and ii2020 join forces to expand area’s digital health arena

This collaboration is expected to attract both start-ups and more established global companies to Haifa. The goal, according to ii2020 is to create thousands of jobs.

By BENJY SINGER
University of Haifa President Prof. Ron Robin and Dr. Erel Margalit, Chairman and Founder of the ii2020 sign collaboration to transform Haifa into digital health powerhouse. (photo credit: Courtesy)
University of Haifa President Prof. Ron Robin and Dr. Erel Margalit, Chairman and Founder of the ii2020 sign collaboration to transform Haifa into digital health powerhouse.
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Israel’s northern city of Haifa is a step further to becoming a global leader in the field of digital health, with the agreement between the University of Haifa and the Israel Initiative 2020 (ii2020), led by Israeli entrepreneur Dr. Erel Margalit.
This collaboration is expected to attract both start-ups and more established global companies to Haifa. The goal, according to ii2020 is to create thousands of jobs.
The research and innovation center will enhance Israeli and international research and innovation and be a platform for creating relevant and collaborations in the digital health world.
The initiative will have access to the university’s laboratories and expertise in the health fields, and the partnership will develop best practices that can be integrated into health- and ecological-focused business ventures.
“This project is a shining example of University of Haifa’s ground-breaking institutional mission, applying that approach to the industrial, welfare, and health worlds,” said University of Haifa President Prof. Ron Robin. “By igniting breakthroughs in the advancement of digital health, we will help the residents of Haifa and northern Israel enjoy the fruits of scientific research in the ways they need the most.”
Erel Margalit, chairman and founder of ii2020, said that Haifa’s existing connections between business and social entrepreneurship has already attracted many companies to the city.
“We will amplify that success by establishing a vibrant digital health district within the city, generating unprecedented growth for local and regional commerce,” he said.
The move comes as University of Haifa is focused on a “multiversity” strategy, which the school said is aimed at making its courses more accessible to a broader spectrum of students, which would better enrich the city and region.
Recently, the university received an $18 million donation from the Helmsley Charitable Trust, which it is using to build a 20-story “Health Discovery Tower’ in partnership with the Rambam Hospital.