The American-Israel Chamber of Commerce, Southeast Region (AICC), today announced the first U.S. - Israel Web 2.0 Business Exchange: “Empowering the Connected Enterprise.”  This event will present an unparalleled opportunity for emerging Web 2.0 companies in Israel to present themselves and have pre-arranged and pre-qualified meetings with leading companies in North America to foster joint venture R&D, investment and marketing alliances.  The event will be held at IBM’s Northside Facility at 4111 Northside Parkway in Atlanta, Georgia.

Israel leads the world in development of Web 2.0 technologies.  The Web 2.0 Business Exchange is a unique peer-to-peer networking experience and innovative business matchmaking framework, and for North American companies, a very concise and productive forum to gain advanced exposure to a wide range of cutting-edge Web 2.0 technologies from Israel. 

“This event will showcase Israeli companies and their innovative technologies to this important business sector,” said Lorin Coles, board vice chairman of the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce and chairman of AICC’s Software Committee that is organizing the exchange. “The U.S.-Israel Web 2.0 Business Exchange will create relationships between Israel web companies and potential partners, customers, and investors in the U.S.”

Web 2.0 Online Community

In keeping with the theme of the Exchange, an innovative online community is already in place and will provide a forum for participants to introduce themselves and their companies and to discuss their Web 2.0 expertise with other attendees. 

The Israeli companies are being selected for participation based on their expertise and innovation in specific Web 2.0 categories including marketing - business collaboration, information management & sharing, enterprise applications and software as a service (SaaS), talent management, customer management, customer experience, and security issues specific to Web 2.0.

Web 2.0 Event Builds on Previous Successful Exchanges

·         The 2007 U.S.-Israel New Media Business Exchange, hosted by Turner Broadcasting attracted more than 60 companies, with more than 300 one-on-one “speed dates” taking place.

·         In 2006, 27 emerging Israeli companies joined eight emerging Southeast companies in Atlanta to attend the second annual U.S.-Israel Broadband Business Exchange, hosted by Cox Communications.  In less than 24 hours, the event produced more than 600 one-on-one meetings for them with major U.S. companies producing business relationships, investments, joint ventures, and the decision of several Israeli firms to establish their US headquarters in Atlanta.

Sponsors to date include IBM, Gartner, Turner Broadcasting, Delta Airlines, Alston & Bird, Grant Thornton, Wireless Technology Forum, BIRD Foundation, and Technology Association of Georgia.  For complete information, visit www.usisraelexchange.biz.

About the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce

The American-Israel Chamber of Commerce is a binational business association with the mission of increasing economic development by fostering understanding, cooperation, and business relationships between Israel and the Southeast. AICC is a proud affiliate of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. Since its founding in 1992, AICC has been involved in completed transactions valued at more than $950 million, creating jobs and benefiting the economies of both Israel and the Southeast. AICC targets a range of projects involving import, export, research & development, direct investment and joint ventures. Key areas of focus include software, telecommunications, energy, medical technologies and security.