Colorado looks to attract Israelis with its growing tech sector and natural beauty
Colorado looks to attract Israelis with its growing tech sector and natural beauty
The Colorado-Israel Chamber of Commerce was launched this year to boost relations between both regions
A new chamber of commerce supporting the economic partnership between Israel and the American state of Colorado has been established to woo Israelis to the Centennial State. The Colorado-Israel Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit, non-governmental membership organization working to serve as the representative voice of the two regions to help with trade, commerce, and innovation.
“You move to New York for the city, for that environment, for the ‘crazy’,” said Co-Founder and Israel Director Jordan Kastrinsky. “People leave New York to go to Colorado because they want nature.” The state is located in the middle of the country and can boast an array of outdoor activities suitable for the lifestyle of typical Israelis: skiing, hiking, canoeing, and kayaking are all common hobbies in a region surrounded by mountains and plains. “People move there for that,” he added.
Of course, the allure of Colorado is not limited to its natural beauty. The state has been ranked third for startup early job creation, the city of Denver was ranked the second best place for businesses and careers, and Boulder was ranked second for the best city for startups and entrepreneurs. Colorado has more than 700 bioscience companies generating $11.2 billion annually and the highest density of biomedical engineers in the country. According to Kastrinsky, who is a native Coloradan but now lives in Israel, Israeli firms Kamada and Teva Pharmaceuticals are already present in Colorado, as well as large firms like Check Point and NICE who collaborate with the state’s tech companies and academic institutions.
The Chamber of Commerce is headed by Kastrinsky and Jeremiah Baronberg, who heads the Colorado offices. It works to boost four main tech sectors: Water and Agriculture, Energy, Biotech, and Homeland Security and Aerospace. This variety helps the Chamber focus on areas “connected to basic living” and allows for a wide range of companies to enter the state for business. “The reason why we focused on these is because Colorado is specifically strong in these four,” he added. “They have a need for these types of innovations, and the Israeli ecosystem is very strong in these four sectors.”
Israelis looking to expand their business into the United States often overlook smaller states for coastal hubs like New York and California. While recent trends show this shifting to other areas like Texas, Arizona, or Florida, many middle states often get forgotten or overlooked. Colorado may be large in geographic size but its population is less than 6 million, far less than Israel. That said, its position in the center of the country can help Israelis who may wish to work with either side of the country.
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Jordan Kastrinsky and Jeremiah Baronberg
(Photos: Jordan Kastrinsky/Jeremiah Baronberg)
Considering all this, the Centennial State still shows its strength through its business results: There are more than 200 defense companies and military installations in Colorado, indicating promise for Israel’s booming defensetech sector. Its energy sector is also attractive, contributing more than $13 billion to the state’s economy with Israeli companies like SolarEdge establishing projects in renewable energy and smart grids in the state.
One of the Chamber’s primary goals is to establish networking opportunities and events to draw Israelis and Coloradans to one another. It already has collaborations with the World Trade Center Denver and the Federation of the Israeli Chambers of Commerce, as well as seeking a bilateral program between Colorado and the Israeli Innovation Authority.
As for Jewish life in the state, Kastrinsky admits that while it cannot match the size and scope of other states, Colorado’s “very strong bloc of Jews” is gaining momentum for pro-Israel initiatives amid a wave of antisemitism felt across the country. “Every single person we've talked to on the state level is very pro our idea, and they want to see it succeed,” he said. “If we're being honest, if I had to kind of put my money on Colorado or any other state, I would put my money on Colorado every day because most people there ‘live and let live’.” Traditionally considered a political swing state (it has leaned left in recent years), the people are “more libertarian” than typical states and famously became the first in the nation to legalize marijuana. “They just don't want the government telling them what to smoke,” Kastrinsky added.
Currently, the Colorado governor is Democrat Jared Polis, a Jewish entrepreneur and businessman who co-founded Techstars. There also remains Jewish leadership in Congress with Michael Bennet who has served since 2009. The state also had a profound impact on Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir who spent formative years there as a teenager. Today, the state is working to boost its tech sectors and remain competitive outside of its traditional industries of advanced manufacturing and agriculture. And as long as the state works to attract new talent, the Colorado-Israel Chamber of Commerce will be there to help.
“Don't do it alone. California, New York, or Michigan have some years on us and we have to put our mark out there,” said Kastrinsky. “Israelis succeed in New York because New York is very similar to Israel in its mentality… Colorado people are a little bit more laid back. There's the Western cowboy mentality that is still a part of the mentality so you have to play nice, be respectful, and understand that reality because those are real things there,” he concluded.
