Israel Active

Telecom giant AT&T is opening a new R&D center in Tel Aviv’s ToHa Tower. It is in addition to the R&D center in Airport City which already employs 500. AT&T plans to hire an additional 100 people to expand its activities.

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is acquiring Flow Commerce for is acquiring Metromile for . and are to merge.

Schwarz Group bought for ; Celsius bought for ;

Israel’s Fundbox (see previously), developer of an AI-powered financial platform for small businesses, raised $100 million at $1.1 billion valuation. Israeli gaming company Moon Active raised $300 million at $5 billion valuation. Finally, Israel’s StarkWare raised $50 million at $2 billion valuation.

Israel’s LetsTok is building a video platform for influencers and content creators. It will allow them to connect with their fans in a marketplace format for personalized advice, counseling, and guidance, plus generate a stable revenue stream.

Israel’s Vertical Field (see previously) has just opened the first of its indoor farms inside retail stores in Dnipro (Ukraine) and Krasnodar (Russia). The mobile walls grow healthy greens such as lettuce, spinach and basil, to be harvested immediately for customers at the store.

Global wealth management giant UBS will establish an R&D center in Israel for the first time, initially employing up to 100. General Manager Gerry Livnat recognized that Israel is a cyber center, so it is important for UBS to hear about new developments.

Ignite, Intel’s startup growth program, has selected 10 more startups for its fifth Tel Aviv cohort. They are CADY Solutions, , DeepAI, , Exodigo, Finout, Helios.dev, HyperSpace, Illumex, and Oxeye.

Jerusalem has approved the construction of what will become the tallest tower building ever built in Jerusalem. The Marom Tower, part of the City Gateway business park (see previously) will be forty stories high with a cultural center, art galleries and a museum on the first 8 floors.