NEWPORT – The Rhode Island-Israel Collaborative, along with Innovate Newport, Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce and Hub Ashdod Israel, announces a BlueTech Startup Competition.
The competition will begin Feb. 22, with a kickoff planned at the Blue Innovation Symposium in Newport.
The goal of the competition is to cultivate the global blue tech ecosystem by supporting startups, according to the collaborative, making connections between strategic partners, mentors and resources. The program will create connections specifically between the Ashdod blue tech ecosystem in Israel and the Rhode Island blue tech ecosystem. Newport judges will judge the four Israeli pitches, while Israeli judges will judge the four U.S. pitches.
Companies will be competing for a first-place prize, which includes cash, a customized trip to a partnering country, introductions, meetings and coworking space, the collaborative said in a statement.
Mollie Frazer Williams with the Newport Chamber can be contacted for more information at mollie@newportchamber.com, and Avi Nevel, the point person at the Rhode Island-Israel Collaborative, can be contacted at anevel@theriic.org.
“This competition will be invaluable in developing the relations between the two innovation ecosystems in Ashdod and Newport,” Nevel said.
“It is a unique and exciting opportunity to create networks of partners, investors and mentors, and broaden international business opportunities,” Williams said.
The deadline for startups to submit their applications is March 8. Finalists will be announced March 15. Pitches are scheduled for March 22 and March 29, with winners announced April 5, according to a statement.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.
