Encouraging investment in startups
Israel is to offer NIS 2 billion (NIS 150 million each) in protection to up to 12 institutional investors who invest in early stage Israeli startups. The program lasts for eight years.
Incentives to partner healthcare projects
Israel’s Innovation Authority is offering Israeli companies 50% of their R&D budget if they partner world-renowned hospitals on healthcare pilot projects. The hospitals include Mayo Clinic, Hartford Healthcare, Thomas Jefferson University and Germany's Charité – Universitätsmedizin.
Israelis get back to the land
Israeli entrepreneur Nimrod Berger has found paid employment for 100 Israelis who have no work, due to the coronavirus epidemic. He has made them “crop commanders” - mostly ex-IDF, now elite agricultural workers - who are bringing in the harvest in the absence of foreign laborers.
SAP incubates more Israeli startups
SAP.iO Foundry Tel Aviv has launched its second 12-week incubator (see for previous). This time SAP selected seven consumer products startups. Aiola, Hexa, Pecan.ai, Sampler, SRP, TrenDemon, and TVPage will access SAP tech support, mentors and clients.
Encouraging Israeli startups to focus on Asia
Israeli-based Brilliance Ventures has raised a $20 million fund to focus on Israeli startups with potential for growth in the Asian market. Its initial focus is in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, deep tech, storage, semiconductors, and Industry 4.0 (e.g. smart cities).
CyberArk’s $70 million acquisition
Israeli cybersecurity company CyberArk has acquired California-based “identity as a service” IDaptive Holdings for $70 million cash. Their technologies will be combined to form a powerful security platform.
Recruiting 100 employees
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Israeli-founded Spot.IM is recruiting 100 new staff to add to its 200 Israeli and US employees, as part of its growth plan. Spot.IM is an engagement & community platform for top media companies such as Verizon Media, Microsoft, News Corp and Hearst.
Israeli startups raising funds
This week, Nanofabrica raised , Udisense (Nanit) raised , raised , digital health data Alike raised , raised , AccessiBe raised and Semperis raised .
Schools, markets & malls re-open
Throughout Israel, students in grades 1 to 3, plus grades 11 and 12 have returned to classes. Shopping malls and Jerusalem’s famous open-air Mahane Yehuda shuk (market) have reopened after two months, signaling a major step in Israel’s gradual return (with precautions) to normal.
Intel moves in on Moovit
Intel has acquired Israel’s smart-transit startup Moovit for some $900 million to with Mobileye . Moovit (reported previously) provides free real-time crowdsourced information about public transportation schedules. It is used by 800 million riders across 102 countries.