Israel Active

I reported previously on Israel’s Gauzy and its Liquid Crystal Glass (LCG). Light-control film technology allows users to control whether glass or plastic products are clear or opaque. Gauzy has one factory in Tel Aviv and will soon open a second in Stuttgart, Germany.

I reported previously on Israel’s Vonetize and its movie streaming service. Vonetize has now over 11 million users in 59 countries.  Its latest deal is with Brazilian TV network Rádio e Televisão Record S.A.

The feature connecting two quite different Israeli startups is their growth rate – a huge 350%. I reported on Verbit’s subtitling in May and (briefly) Cato Networks more recently .

I reported previously on Israel’s Guardicore. The cybersecurity startup has just won a contract to protect the data center of Banco del Bajio (BanBajio), one of Mexico’s largest commercial banks.

I’ve reported previously on Israeli-based startup Algatech and the trials of its AstaPure product. Algatech has just launched AstaPure Arava, suitable to be integrated into multiple food products. AstaPure’s active ingredient astaxanthin can benefit gastro, visual and muscle systems.

If you received flowers on Valentine’s day, there’s a good chance that they originated in Israel. Over 500 million stems are exported every year.  65% go to the Netherlands, famous for its tulips.

I’ve reported previously on Germany’s Merck and its many Israeli links. Merck’s VC arm M Ventures has just launched another startup incubator PMatX.  It will support Israeli companies specializing in advanced electronic products including semiconductors and sensor technologies.

The Psagot Winery in Samaria has begun exporting and marketing Israeli wine to the city of Guangzhou in southern China, with a population of over 13 million people. Psagot Winery produces more than 350,000 bottles annually of which 70% is exported.

Israeli airline Arkia Airlines is to begin a direct weekly flight to India’s Goa state and twice-weekly to the city of Cochin (Kochi) in Kerala state. Flight times are around seven hours and will commence in September after the end of the monsoon season.

Armani Beauty, the beauty brand of Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani, is reportedly to open a store in Tel Aviv's Ramat Aviv Mall. The shop will offer cosmetics, skincare products and fragrances. Chanel is also opening in Ramat Aviv Mall and in the TLV Gindi Mall.