Featured on StPeteCatalyst.com: Tampa real estate developer sparks USF, FIBA, Tel Aviv University collaboration

Backers of a collaboration between University of South Florida, the Florida-Israel Business Accelerator and Tel Aviv University expect it to lead to an improved quality of life for an aging population.

USF, FIBA and TAU signed a memorandum of understanding Wednesday. The MOU is designed to ensure the communication and coordination needed to implement so the three organizations can work together on research and development of technologies, analytically-based solutions and companies focused on major problems of aging.

The MOU is not a commitment to specific projects or partnerships or a commitment of funds, but David Scher, the Tampa real estate developer who was a key force behind the collaboration, hopes to see results.

“In my remarks, I said on my watch it’s going to be something real and not just a paper signing, which these things often are. We need to take it to the next steps, by developing common research and interchanges of professors and students and that’s already happening,” Scher said.

Scher, co-owner of Stuart S. Golding Co., has deep connections to all the institutions. He’s past president of the Tampa Jewish Federation and helped launch FIBA. He’s on the board of governors of Tel Aviv University and he’s a donor and supporter of USF.

The universities have a lot in common. Both were founded in 1956, are preeminent institutions with large student bodies and a heavy focus on research.

“I thought, wouldn’t it be wonderful to have the two universities research something they have in common and for FIBA to be the conduit to bring that to market,” Scher said. Read more at Catalyst.

Article by Catalyst.

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