Israel Active

Intel has launched a new accelerator program in Israel for early-stage startups focused on data-centric tech, including artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems. The program, called “Ignite” will host 10-15 startups for five months, providing mentorship from Intel and industry experts.

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has approved a $275,000 budget for setting up a new trade office in Israel. 2017 bi-lateral trade totaled $400 million (double that of 2010. Israel-based companies with operations in Arizona include Mobileye, Elbit Systems and Keter Group.

I reported previously on the environmentally-friendly compostable packaging developed by Israeli startup TIPA. Now Google’s shopping site, Google Express, is to package purchases in TIPA’s bio-degradable plastic. UK supermarket Waitrose and others already use TIPA.

Horizon 2020, Europe’s flagship innovation program, gave grants to 423 Israeli projects in 2018. Since Horizon 2020 was set up in 2014, it has funded 1,062 Israeli recipients to the tune of 742 million euros. Cooperation was celebrated at an awards ceremony in Jaffa on 4th June.

1.8 million tourists have visited Israel in the five months since the beginning of 2019. May 2019 saw an 11% increase on May 2018 with 400,000 tourists arriving. And contrary to reports from biased media outlets, hundreds of thousands of Christians, Muslims and Jews peacefully visited Jerusalem.

There are 41 top European firms with Israeli innovation offices - nearly half established in the last 3 years. And unlike Silicon Valley, most of the Israeli offices are fully-fledged R&D centers with over 50 employees - not simply outposts. Most work in automotive, electronics and Life sciences.

Retail giant Amazon has its own airline called Prime Air, comprising 40 second-hand Boeing 767s. Israel Aerospace Industries has converted 80% of the fleet from passenger planes to cargo planes and the refurbished aircraft are now good for another 20 years of service.

Global payments giant PayPal is setting up a new customer service center in Israel. It will replace its current operation, run by an external company in Bulgaria. PayPal already has a Research & Development center in Tel Aviv with 230 employees.

I reported previously when Israeli-founded cybersecurity company SentinelOne raised $70 million of funds. It has just raised another $120 million, to join the ranks of “Unicorn” companies – those worth around $1 billion.

Israel’s MindSpace is opening a new 4,125 square meters co-working location at the Rogovin Tidhar Tower in Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv. It will accommodate 640 people who want shared office facilities. It will be MindSpace’s 29th site, which includes in the US, UK and Germany.