BioSTL working to lure Israeli startups to St. Louis

BioSTL, the St. Louis organization cultivating medical and plant bioscience companies, has launched a new initiative aimed at bringing early-stage Israeli companies to St. Louis.

Through the St. Louis-Israel Innovation Connection (SLIIC), BioSTL will look to lure Israeli startups looking to create a presence in the United States. BioSTL has hired two veteran entrepreneurs with Israeli ties — Vijay Chauhan and Uri Attir — to help with those efforts.

Between staff, travel and communications, BioSTL officials expect to spend about $300,000 on the effort, which will be absorbed into the BioSTL budget.

BioSTL will specifically look to recruit Israeli startups in the health care and medical technologies, agritech, and cyber-security industries, said Donn Rubin, president and CEO of BioSTL.

"St. Louis has impressive assets in certain areas that can give us a competitive advantage in attracting some very exciting high-growth companies to our region," Rubin said in a statement. "We will be leveraging a strong St. Louis ecosystem that many people and organizations have worked to develop over the past decade."

Assisting in the effort are several local organizations, including ITEN, which is providing due diligence; Cortex, which is helping connect scientists already working in St. Louis to the Israeli companies; and the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Missouri Partnership, which can help identify incentives and relocation support for the companies.

Once moved to St. Louis, the SLIIC will work to connect those companies to potential investors such as the St. Louis Arch Angels, Cultivation Capital and others; and introduce them to potential strategic partners like Boeing, Enterprise Holdings, KWS and Monsanto.

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