Fairfax County, Virginia — The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) has extended the contract of Value Base M&A to continue its role as the FCEDA’s representative in Israel.

Yair Ephrati will continue as director of the FCEDA’s Tel Aviv office, assisted by Nadav Zohar.

Value Base was awarded its original contract with the FCEDA in July 2009 when it was known as DS Apex Mergers and Acquisitions, Ltd. The company’s fourth contract with the FCEDA took effect July 1.

In addition to its headquarters in Tysons Corner, Fairfax County’s largest business district, the FCEDA maintains marketing offices in Tel Aviv and five other important business centers around the globe: Bangalore, Berlin, London, Los Angeles and Seoul.

The FCEDA’s Israel office promotes Fairfax County as one of the world’s best business locations and provides information and services to companies with an interest in expanding operations to Fairfax County. The Israel team, which conducts one-on-one meetings and informational seminars, is paying particular attention to firms focused on cybersecurity, data analytics, artificial intelligence, aerospace, defense, mobility, construction technology, life sciences and smart city technology.

“Fairfax County has emerged as a U.S. hub for cybersecurity, international security, big data and a multitude of high-tech capabilities that are familiar territory for Israel-based firms of all sizes,” said Gerald L. Gordon, Ph.D., president and CEO of the FCEDA. “Making these companies aware of the benefits that Fairfax County can offer is an important task. With its tremendous knowledge of Israel’s business community, we’re happy to have Value Base returning in that role as informational ambassadors.”

Ephrati says that Israel-based executives, especially those leading cybersecurity and high-tech companies, have increasingly come to understand the reasons that Fairfax County is the right place to be.

“Part of it is about location,” Ephrati said. “Washington, D.C., a large international airport and, effectively, the entire east coast of the United States is within easy driving distance. The county also offers a highly skilled workforce, which is quite important. Fairfax County is surrounded by more than 60 colleges and universities and residents are among the most highly educated in the world.

“Israel’s leading position in the cyber, homeland security and defense sectors fits perfectly within Fairfax County, which offers excellent proximity to the federal government and the ecosystem that surrounds it.”

More than 30 Israel-based businesses have a presence in Fairfax County. That number includes defense contractors, business-application enterprises and startups involved in cybersecurity, telecom and mobile applications. In all, more than 430 foreign-owned companies from 47 nations have a presence in Fairfax County. Click here to read more about the FCEDA’s presence around the globe.