Monthly Archives: October 2019

Virgin’s chairman arrives

Posted on October 27, 2019

Richard Branson kissed the ground on arriving at Ben Gurion Airport to formally launch Virgin Atlantic’s direct flights from London to Tel Aviv. In its first month, 14,000 people have flown Virgin to Israel. Branson praised Israel and said that … Continue reading →

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Bank of Israel governor wins US economics award

Posted on October 27, 2019

The governor of the Bank of Israel Amir Yaron has won the $100,000 biennial Stephen A. Ross Prize from the US Foundation for the Advancement of Research in Financial Economics. Mr Yaron co-authored an influential research paper on long-term asset … Continue reading →

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Israel at World Bank / IMF Conference

Posted on October 27, 2019

Israel’s Minister of Finance, Moshe Kahlon, and Bank of Israel Governor Prof. Amir Yaron, led the Israeli delegation to the annual World Bank and International Monetary Fund conference. There was much interest in Israeli cyber technology to protect international financial … Continue reading →

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Reducing food waste

Posted on October 27, 2019

To commemorate World Food Day on Oct 16, Calcalistech issued a summary of 10 Israeli companies working to tackle food waste. Most were reported here previously except Save Foods (which uses hydrogen peroxide to extend the shelf-life of food) and … Continue reading →

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An empathic robot responds to your call

Posted on October 27, 2019

Israeli startup Voca.ai develops automatic voice assistants for call centers using natural language and artificial intelligence. Robots handle most mundane calls, freeing up humans for the more complex scenarios (see video).  Voca.ai has just raised funds from American Express Ventures. … Continue reading →

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Predicting machine failures

Posted on October 27, 2019

There are several Israeli startups that can detect faults in machinery or predict when critical industrial equipment is likely to breakdown (e.g. Augury and 3DSignals). Another was Presenso, whose algorithms anticipate industrial machine failures. However, it has just been acquired … Continue reading →

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Are you sitting comfortably

Posted on October 27, 2019

Israeli startup Seatback develops a device that helps users correct their posture and avoid other sitting-related side effects. Its 70 sensors are embedded in a chair and detects if the sitter slouches or sits asymmetrically. A gentle vibration alerts them … Continue reading →

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Israel’s “failed” Moonshot is a winner

Posted on October 27, 2019

Despite SpaceIL’s Beresheet lunar module crashing on the moon, the Israeli company was awarded a $1 million Google Lunar XPRIZE for its efforts. Beresheet is to be the model for the Firefly lunar lander, chosen by NASA. And the crash … Continue reading →

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Printing animal-free meat in outer space

Posted on October 27, 2019

Israel’s Aleph Farms recently produced cultivated slaughter-free beefsteak aboard the International Space Station. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-_Zy-arDb0 https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-cultured-steak-successfully-grown-in-outer-space/

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An ecologically friendly vineyard

Posted on October 27, 2019

The Galil Mountain Winery on Israel’s border with Lebanon requires no irrigation as the roots of the vine are very deep. Wastewater is treated and recycled. It uses solar energy for power, sustainable packaging and microbiology to generate healthy soil. … Continue reading →

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