Monthly Archives: January 2019

Israeli-inspired Via returns to its roots

Posted on January 14, 2019

Via Transportation’s Israeli founders came up with their start-up idea in an Israeli mini bus taxi van. They now operate their ride-sharing service in 11 countries and are confident they can succeed on Israel’s roads. Passengers request a ride and … Continue reading →

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Smart transportation for Michigan

Posted on January 14, 2019

Israel’s Innovation Authority and Michigan’s PlanetM are to co-finance testing future autonomous technologies in Michigan. Israeli companies will receive support for conducting field tests and piloting of the technologies developed by pilot sites in Michigan. https://innovationisrael.org.il/en/opencall/israel-michigan-autonomous-technologies-collaboration-program-imatc-1st-call-proposal https://planetm.michiganbusiness.org/what-is-planet-m/about/

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Uni launches student-run VC fund

Posted on January 14, 2019

Ben-Gurion University has launched Cactus Capital, a student-run VC (venture capital) fund. It will serve as an academic-educational tool to encourage innovative ideas in the high-tech, biotech and social fields. The $1 million fund will invest in dozens of groups … Continue reading →

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Tel Aviv recycles London skyscraper

Posted on January 14, 2019

Due to recession, construction on London’s 288-meter Pinnacle Tower was halted in 2008. Now the same design is to be used for the 350-meter high Spiral Tower at the Azrieli Center in Tel Aviv. Scheduled to be completed by 2025, … Continue reading →

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Less early exits and fewer failures

Posted on January 14, 2019

Israeli high-tech “exits” declined by 33% in 2018 amid a maturing of the local tech ecosystem, according to PwC’s Israel 2018 Exits report. Also, less Israeli start-ups close each year; the IVC Research Center reported a steady decline from 710 … Continue reading →

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Europe funds Israeli micro-satellites

Posted on January 14, 2019

The European Research Council has granted 14 million Euros to Israel to build 10 shoebox-sized satellites for analyzing small clouds and their role in the climate. The mission is named CloudCT, inspired by medical CT (computed tomography) used to map … Continue reading →

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Irrigating Africa

Posted on January 14, 2019

South Africa’s AECI subsidiary Nulandis has signed an agreement with Israel’s SupPlant to market SupPlant’s technology in South Africa and 14 other countries in Africa. SupPlant’s sensor-based system autonomously waters crops, optimizes water consumption and alerts farmers of the state … Continue reading →

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The next generation of AR

Posted on January 14, 2019

I reported previously (Oct 2014) on Israel’s Fieldbit and its leading-edge augmented reality (AR) smart glasses app. Fieldbit 5.0 has just been launched, with its advanced AR allowing support engineers to guide end users through problem resolution without expensive field … Continue reading →

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Plants can hear

Posted on January 14, 2019

Tel Aviv University scientists have found that the evening primrose flower (oenothera drummondii) can hear the approach of pollinating bees and hawk-moths and produces extra and sweeter nectar in response. They also replicated the sounds synthetically and produced the same … Continue reading →

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Healthy shrimps to feed the world

Posted on January 14, 2019

Israel’s ViAqua (advisor Prof Avi Schroeder) develops a particle-based method for orally administering antiviral medication to combat deadly viruses in shrimp – a global market worth some $18 billion. ViAqua has just received investment from Singapore’s VisVires New Protein Master … Continue reading →

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