Israel Active

Some 405,000 tourists visited Israel in September 2019, 44% more than in September 2018. Between January and September 2019, nearly 3.3 million tourist entries were recorded, compared to 2.9 million in the same period last year, an increase of 13%.

The first fruits of PepsiCo’s $3.2 billion purchase of Israel’s Sodastream are about to bubble through. Sodastream is to manufacture concentrates for 10 of PepsiCo’s most popular soft drink brands. The savings are mainly environmental - a reduction in the use of disposable plastic bottles.

As reported previously Israel’s REE Automotive enables a vehicle’s drive components to be fully integrated into a wheel, known as a FlatFormer, improving stability, space and energy efficiency.  Toyota Group’s truck subsidiary Hino Motors is now using REE’s technology for its electric trucks.

Israeli-founded startup Fabric, incorporated as CommonSense Robotics, turns underutilized urban retail spaces into 1-hour delivery centers where robots store, sort, and process inventory. Fabric has just raised $110 million to expand its team in both Israel and the U.S.

Israeli insurance software company Sapiens International employs over 2,500 people globally and is still growing. It has just taken over Madrid-based insurance consultants Calculo. The acquisition will help Sapiens enter the Spanish market.

Israeli founded Next Insurance employs 85 people in Israel and over 100 in the U.S. It has just raised $250 million to push its valuation over the $1 billion mark and give it the financial status of a “Unicorn”. The funds will be used to grow its global team and the Israeli R&D center.

Israel’s Phoenix Insurance has partnered with Israel’s Air Doctor which locates recommended doctors for travelers to Europe and the Americas. The joint service has already helped Phoenix increase traveler's health insurance revenues and reduce medical visit claim costs.

The Philippines new $38.7 million Gulfstream G280 Presidential plane was developed and manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries.  The Philippine government considers the plane “a necessary component of its modernization program” and not solely for use by President Duterte.

US cable sports channel ESPN is partnering Israeli automated video startup Pixellot to broadcast the America East Conference on ESPN’s digital platforms. With Pixellot’s multi-camera system, ESPN will show soccer, field hockey, lacrosse and volleyball games to new audiences.

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 more Virgin companies will launch in Israel.