Written Testimony of Barbara Ewing in Support of HB 188

Summary

Written testimony by Barbara Ewing, CEO of the Youngstown Business Incubator, in support of HB 188, which the testimony describes as an initiative to formalize relationships between the state of Ohio and Israel. The testimony describes YBI as a tech based economic development organization in northeast Ohio and part of the JumpStart Entrepreneurship Network funded through the Ohio Third Frontier. It states that YBI first traveled to Israel in 2017 and has since worked with companies from the region entering the US market, and that it is currently working with four Israeli startups after disruption from the Covid 19 pandemic. It argues that Ohio is well positioned to serve as a launch pad for Israeli technologies and that Ohio cannot allow other states to take advantage of the region's technologies without also being at the table. It is printed on YBI letterhead.

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“Written Testimony of Barbara Ewing in Support of HB 188.” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/committee-28e7656368beb27c/, SHA-256 04209f364a77c29b82ffc8121e48c1c6622bb965e129f79abde3c4e621a761a2.

Full text

ed YOUNGSTOWN i

BUSINESS INCUBATOR

My name is Barbara Ewing, and I am the CEO of the Youngstown Business Incubator. I
am providing this written testimony in support of HB 188, an initiative to formalize
relationships between the state of Ohio and Israel.

The Youngstown Business Incubator is a tech based economic development
organization that provides services in northeast Ohio. YBI is part of the JumpStart
Entrepreneurship Network, funded through the Ohio Third Frontier, the host for the
Minority Business Assistance Center for the eastern corridor of Ohio, a provider of
advanced manufacturing services to both industry and government partners in additive
manufacturing and Industrial IOT, as well as having STEM career programming for
youth. YBI is the home of America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing
Innovation Institute, and is partnered with them on the development of the Youngstown
Innovation Hub for Aerospace and Defense.

YBI has seen firsthand the benefits of engaging with companies from Israel as they
work to launch into the US market. In 2017, we took our first trip to Israel with then
Youngstown State University President, Jim Tressel. Throughout the many meetings
with industry, government, and academic leaders, it was clear that relationships with US
entities provides real value to Israeli companies as they seek to launch into the US
market.

Since that time, YBI has worked with multiple companies from the region as they work
to enter the US market. While the Covid 19 pandemic disrupted many of those startups,
we are rebuilding those relationships and are currently working with four Israeli startups
in the commercialization of their products. This includes a formal partnership with XJet,
who has developed the leading technology in ceramic additive manufacturing; Droxi AI,
a healthcare platform that facilitates communication for clinicians; Dormotech, a medical
device company, and Algocell, an AI application for advanced manufacturing.

As Ohio continues to rebuild its economy around advanced technologies, Israel can be

a critical partner in the process. Ohio simply cannot allow other states to take advantage
of the technologies and innovation that comes out of the region without also being at the
table.

YBI.ORG

LY YOUNGSTOWN i

BUSINESS INCUBATOR

If a small community like Youngstown can take advantage of these relationships to
rebuild our economy, imagine the opportunities available to the rest of the state of Ohio.
With our strong network of technology entrepreneurship programs through the
Entrepreneurial Services Program, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program
and other technology based economic development programs, Ohio is well positioned
to serve as the launch pad for Israeli technologies into the US market.

Contact information: Barbara Ewing, CEO, Youngstown Business Incubator, 241 West
Federal Street, Younstown, Ohio 44503 (330)717-2269, bewing@ybi.org

YBI.ORG

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