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ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Stability at the Bank of Israel. At last, Dr Karnit Flug has been appointed as the successor to Professor Stanley Fischer as BoI Governor. Dr Flug is the first ever woman governor and was Prof Fischer’s preference for the position. She has been Acting Governor since Prof Fischer stepped down in June
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State of Economy index up again. The Bank of Israel’s Composite State of the Economy Index for September increased by 0.3 percent. Data for previous months was also revised upwards due to natural gas production.
Investment in Israeli start-ups is a 13-year high 162 Israeli start-ups raised $660 million from local and foreign investors in the third quarter of 2013, the highest quarterly amount since 2000. Investment in start-ups rose 12% to $1.63 billion in January-September compared to the corresponding period last year.
Israeli firms are so popular. Acquisitions and mergers involving Israeli companies totaled $4 billion in the first ten months of 2013 – the highest for ten years. The figure for Israeli exits was 20 percent of the US M&A market over the same period, even though investment in Israeli companies is less than 5 percent of the US total.
CuratedIsrael – Israeli luxury products and more. CuratedIsrael is a one of a kind marketplace for beautiful pieces straight from Israel. Additionally, “CuratedIsrael Gives Back” supports charities and designers with worthy causes. Founder Diane Kaston says, “Giving back for the blessings of life is the ultimate luxury.”
Amazon discovers Israel. Amazon.com will open an office in Tel Aviv to support the growth of its cloud services and its rapidly growing customer base in Israel. Israeli customers will be among the first in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to enjoy Amazon Web Services.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
A wristband to monitor your health. (Thanks to NoCamels.com) Tel Aviv-based startupSense is behind the Angel monitor, a biofeedback wristband that senses motion, acceleration, skin temperature, blood oxygen saturation and heart rate. The health band is synced to your smartphone and computer to display results.
Israeli trial is good news for IBD sufferers. Results of early clinical trials using bertilimumab at Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek medical center have indicated that it could be effective in treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
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Israel awards $1 million prize to US BrainGate. In a reversal to the norm, an Israeli non-profit organization presented a US company with a large sum to help it develop its innovations. BrainGate’s million-dollar prize from Israel’s BrainTech will advance its brain sensors that allow paralyzed patients to move a robotic arm.
MDA’s new hi-tech mobile command center. Israel’s emergency service Magen David Adom unveiled a multi-million dollar command vehicle designed to direct rescue operations on the most difficult terrain and during cellular network failure. It has over two-dozen computers and TVs and can accommodate 23 staff.
Your personal Genome app. Tel Aviv University researchers have developed a website and smartphone app that will allow you to submit your individual Genetic DNA sequence map for analysis. Prior to pregnancy, check for risks of birth defects; or select medical treatments that will be most effective without side effects.
What would the UN do without Israel? The United Nations regularly turns to the Jewish state to solve issues of international concern. The UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has granted 13 Israeli NGOs ‘Special Consulative Status’ and is currently considering granting this status to a further two.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Israeli intelligence inspires Apple. According to those in the know, the members of the IDF’s secret 8200 unit that set-up Any.Do were the inspiration for Apple’s latest iOS7 operating system.
A wireless device to check fertility of cows. Israel’s Afimilk has developed the AfiAct II heat detection system that identifies the optimum time for insemination of cattle. Already AfiAct is saving US customers hundreds of dollars per cow.
Magic solution for mobile devices. Israeli software company, Magic, has released its latest enterprise mobility solution for businesses whose employees need to access data using a variety of devices.
Sensors to find water leaks. Israeli start-up has been chosen by Jerusalem’s area water corporation to install its smart systems for detecting leaks in the municipal water supply system. Aquarius Spectrum has developed innovative acoustic sensors, software algorithms and testing prototypes.
Global Cities Summit attracts 68 cities. Hundreds of start-ups, investors and multinationals attended the 3rd Digital Life Design Festival in Tel Aviv. The event included the Global Cities Summit, a policy forum that addresses issues like urban living, ways of coping with growth and better methods of transportation.
Israel joins EU satellite project. Israeli academics and companies have been given security clearance to work on the Galileo project that will launch 30 satellites and become Europe’s alternative to the US GPS system.
Pentagon uses Israeli robots to climb stairs. The US Department of Defense is fast-tracking its deployment of stair-climbing Israeli developed micro-robots with US Army Special Forces. The robots, called the Micro Tactical Ground Robot (MTGR), were designed by Tel Aviv-based start-up Roboteam Ltd.
Calculating the best prices. Tel Aviv-based Feedvisor has developed the world’s first fully algorithmic re-pricing platform for online retailers to keep their prices competitive and maximize profitability. Forbes rated Feedvisor among the most innovative and promising startups in Israel in 2012 and has just raised $1.7 million.
Israeli education – a reminder. Israel’s high school graduation rate was 92% in 2010 (OECD average 84%). Israel spent 7.2% of GDP on educational institutions in 2009 (sixth highest in the world). And pre-school education is now free for all Israeli children from age 3 upward.
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