Israel Active

Israeli fintech company Liquidity Group (see previously) has raised another $40 million from Japanese banking giant MUFG Bank at a valuation of $1.4 billion. Liquidity provides capital mainly to later-stage technology companies for businesses around the world.

By the end of March, thirty of Israel’s Shufersal’s 395 Israeli stores will deploy 2,000 smart shopping trolley cameras and screens from Israel’s Shopic (see previously). The AI system will allow customers to skip the checkout.

The Vera Hotel is Tel Aviv’s first boutique hotel to banish single-use plastic entirely. Soap and shampoo bottles replaced by dispensers; water-filter systems, and biodegradable coffee cups. Meanwhile, Israel’s Fattal Group has acquired UK’s Brighton Grand and London’s Dilly hotels.

Israel’s Casterra, a subsidiary of Israel’s Evogene (see previously), is partnering with a major energy company to cultivate its unique Israeli castor varieties at commercial scale. The aim is for these to provide the basis for a new biofuel for countries in Africa.  

The non-profit Good Food Institute (GFI) Israel has estimated that Israel invested $454 million in alternative proteins in 2022. This was about 15% of the capital raised for the sector globally - second only to the US.

Israel has exported its first-ever shipment of crude oil. The cargo of hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGLs) was extracted from Israel’s Karish natural gas field. This was then converted into high-demand light sweet crude oil and sold through Vitol commodity traders to European customers.

Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reports that Israel's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 6.5% in 2022. GDP per capita growth last year was 70% above the OECD average of 2.6%.

Israel’s Earth & Beyond Ventures (see previously) has raised $125 million to invest in Israel’s emerging commercial space ecosystem. It will focus on aerospace and satellite engineering startups. Investors include NASA supplier Corning, Japan’s Kyocera, and Israel’s Spacecom.

The speakers lined up for OurCrowd’s Global Investor Summit, this coming week, include Israel’s President Herzog, US Ambassador Nides, Author Saul Singer, “Fauda” actor Lior Raz, ex-Mossad head Yossi Cohen, Natan Sharansky, and many, many more.

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