Israel Active

Amazon anticipate a September launch in Israel, as by then at least 100 Israeli retailers will have opened an Amazon store.  A sales campaign is to begin in August. Delivery to local customers will be provided through an Orian / Gett partnership.

Positive highlights in the latest Taub Center report include rising standard of living, falling prices, more participation in labor force, low tax rates, high birth rate, improved education results, growth in hi-tech education, low cost of healthcare, reduction in poverty and more daycare provision.

The European Commission will invest up to 15 million Euros in Israeli companies (up to 2 million Euros in each) for the purposes of commercializing products. It will be the first time that the Commission has taken equity stakes in startup companies.

Following his recent trip to Israel, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a wide-ranging series of economic development partnerships between New York State and 17 Israeli entities. They involve UAV / drones, transportation, energy, cybersecurity, financial technology and health care industries.

More news about Israeli startup Karamba and its systems for preventing cyber-attacks on a vehicle’s engine control unit. Karamba’s technology is now to be integrated into the car infotainment systems of Japan’s Alpine Electronics – Karamba’s 17th partnership.

This article provides a feel for the huge amount of effort and expense that Israeli hi-tech companies put into recruiting and retaining their employees.

Israel’s Council for Higher Education has assigned $27.7 million over five years for universities and colleges to set up or boost entrepreneurship and innovation programs. The goal of the New Campus Vision is to promote vibrant, inspirational, entrepreneurial centers.

Great blog by newsletter supporter . Since the 2005 start of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanction) campaign, Israel’s economy has improved by 100% with GDP per capital up 27%. Exports are up by 43% and tourism by 70%. Foreign investment is up 277%. Tiny Israel is an economic power.

In the Tourism Ministry’s annual Inbound Tourism Survey just published, 93% of tourists ranked their 2018 Israel visit in the "good to excellent" category. Over 50% said that their views on Israel had changed for the better with only 1.5% changing for the worse.

The American Council of the Blind (ACB) has partnered with Israel’s OrCam. Under the agreement, ACB members can buy Orcam’s visual aids, such as MyEye2 and MyMe at a special discount.