The relationship that Plusquellic started with the signing of an agreement with Israel’s Targetech Innovation Center is creating more new jobs, already, and the promise of a smoother and better security process at our nation’s airports.

Two Israeli companies announced today their plans to move into Akron’s award-winning Global Business Accelerator on South Main Street. The Accelerator currently houses 47 entrepreneurial ventures providing 257 jobs for Akron area residents.

Added to the list today are Teraphysics Security Inc (TSI) and ICS (Innovative Communication Solutions, LLC).

Mayor Don Plusquellic is pleased to see the progress in the relationship and the jobs coming to Akron. "We have worked hard to market ourselves around the world, and this is the proof that there are dividends to these investments," he said. "Even before companies have graduated from Targetech, other companies in Israel are now interested in Akron, and businesses here that might be interested growing in the Israeli market are also coming to us."

Teraphysics Security Inc. specializes in homeland security via sophisticated technology that would add the first new procedures at airports and other checkpoints since the implementation of X-ray scanners and metal detectors more than three decades ago.

Innovative Communication Solutions is a wholly owned subsidiary of CSI, Cellular Systems International in Israel. It develops and supplies cellular-based remote management of critical data for use anywhere a client needs real time detection, monitoring, control and repairs.

Innovative Communications Solutions (ICS)

ICS was formed in Akron so a major part of CSI's remote monitoring activities could move to the United States. It comes by way of the Akron-Israel relationship formed in 2006 when Mayor Plusquellic led a delegation to Israel and the city of Netanya, home of the high-tech incubator known as Targetech Innovation Center.

This trip resulted in a formation of Greater Akron Investment Partners LLC (GAIP), a holding company formed by private sector investments in association with city and county government. The City of Akron is a major investor in GAIP, and this project is the first partnership of its kind between an Israeli incubator and a U.S. city. The Targetech Innovation Center leverages significant investments by the Israeli government and specializes in taking emerging innovative ideas in biotech, electronics, Internet technology, manufacturing systems and materials engineering and advancing them to the stage of prototyping and initial market entry.

Companies normally stay in Targetech for three years, and under the agreement with GAIP, new incubator graduates wanting to expand to the U.S. market would come to Akron, set up in Akron's Global Business Accelerator, hire some of Akron’s residents and take advantage of the region's strong market and business development network.

Dr. Zev Gurion is president of New Global Ventures, an affiliate of the Akron Development Corporation and a principal player in the Akron-Israel relationship. He said today, "Although CSI is a more mature company and not one of the Targetech portfolio companies, its decision to seek a relationship with Akron came from its learning of Akron’s million dollar investment in Targetech. This is a reward of Akron’s activities and investment in Israel."

Eli (EL ee) Ben-Meir (MAY eer), CSI’s chief technology officer is happy for the opportunity Akron offers. "I was pleased to learn of Akron’s interest. The support we received in assessing how we establish a presence in the US, create the company, and develop strategic business relationships has been invaluable," he said, and added, "the successful start up of ICS in Akron will pave the way to several other IT companies to make a similar move."

ICS plans to establish its Global Operations Center in Akron, to help CSI in Israel obtain business opportunities in the U.S. market, localize products and form agreements with some of the key communication sensor manufactures here in the States. The company’s investment will be roughly $2 million in Akron at the outset and it plans to create 30-35 jobs within three years.

The activities to be relocated to Ohio include: further developments of existing systems, development of new products and the development of marketing and sales channels of current and future product lines, such as something called RBSS.

Remote Base Station monitoring and control System helps minimize network failure. Users can monitor the performance, for instance, of cellular phone towers, diagnose problems and make repairs---remotely---without dispatching technicians to ascend cell towers.

Based on the concept that allows central management of many parking facilities (both on and off-street) and of on-line credit-card-clearing from fixed or mobile parking equipment, the company created a new solution which is based on its client-server methodology. Using this technology, a parking facility owner or operator would see benefits such as a secure web access to its parking information that would facilitate strategic placement and pricing of on and off-street parking. IT would also provide a dramatic reduction in parking infrastructure and operational costs.

ICS, through a strategic alliance with AMPCO System Parking, is developing a pilot parking management project for the City of Akron. ICS is also exploring using its core RBSS technology, new methods of monitoring and remote management traffic signals.

The company also has plans to work with First Energy in the area of saving street light electricity cost and apply smart monitoring solutions on the electricity consumption units and has potential in the home health care industry.

ICS also possesses the capability of monitoring home-bound patients’ care through new technology.

Teraphysics Security Inc. (TSI)

An example of a regional company that approached the city about Israel is Teraphysics Corporation, headquartered in Cleveland. It has developed an innovative technology platform utilizing a high power source of Terahertz radiation for a broad range of potential applications.

One of the first marketing areas it wanted to explore was the homeland-security segment, and it was looking to partner with an Israeli company that has strong access to the market.

With Akron’s assistance, it identified an appropriate Israeli partner and formed a joint venture with the Israeli company Tamar Explosives. Tamar has expertise in explosives detection and regulation and has developed homeland security relationships with the United States’ TSA (Transportation Security Administration), the FBI and the Israeli Security Agency. The partnership is considered the ideal method for introducing Teraphysics’ technology to the world via Tamar’s global capabilities.

TSI’s technology can detect the existence of concealed explosives on a person. For example, passengers may no longer have to take their shoes off at airport security checkpoints. The technology enables security personnel to see through materials to remotely identify matter, such as explosives.

Lou Fisi, (fih-ZEE), chief executive officer of Teraphysics Corporation and an Akron native observed, "This has potential as a launching pad for security and military/defense applications. Teraphysics’ and its so-called disruptive technology also has revolutionary uses in medicine, bioscience and wireless communications."

TSI would be headquartered in the Global Business Accelerator and is expected to bring 45-50 new jobs to the area within five years.

Fisi added, "I believe this technology will be transforming for this area, with the potential of mirroring the success achieved in the Silicon Valley."

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