Israel Active

Israeli life-sciences venture capital firm aMoon Partners has raised $200 million for a new fund aMoon II that will invest in digital health life-science companies. The final target for the fund is $500 million. The $200 million fund, aMoon I, was set-up two years ago and is invested in 16 startups.

Air France – KLM subsidiary Transavia Airlines is to fly twice weekly during the winter months from Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport to Ovda, north of Eilat. 17,700 Dutch tourists entered Israel in the first quarter of 2018 – a 37% increase on 2017 and 80% up on 2016.

Israel’s Frutarom is setting up FoodNxt, a lab for startups and ventures specializing in food innovation to address obesity and diabetes, to find protein alternatives, natural, healthy foods and more. The lab in Migdal HaEmek will provide financing, advanced equipment, and a support team.

Israel-based startup Pixellot has sold its video production systems to Chinese Premier League’s Jiangsu Suning Football Club as the first of its deal with China Sports Media. Pixellot’s automated multi-camera system gives a panoramic view of sports events for coaching purposes.

Tel Aviv University is to set up an early-stage startup venture fund, the first of its kind by an Israeli university. It has already raised some $20 million to invest in startups mainly by university graduates or students. The university will also provide its labs, knowledge and its network of contacts.

Tiny Israel ranked second after the US for the number of deals involving cybersecurity companies between 2013 – 2017.  Israel was ahead of the UK, Canada and China. New York data firm CB Insights also named six Israeli companies in its list of 29 pioneering “cyber defenders”.

If you need to get around a city in Israel you can catch a bus / minibus, call a taxi or rent a bike.  Car2Go (GoTo Global) operates its Mobike service which provide bicycles that you can pick up from a bike stand, pay for, scan the QR code and you’re ready to go. Then drop off the bike at a stand near your destination.

Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems has opened a Berlin office to help expand its activities in the German market. The office will serve as its technological, industrial, and commercial base in the country. Elbit employs around 12,500 people worldwide, of which 10,000 are in Israel.

I reported previously on Israel’s Invertex which uses 3D imaging and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to scan your feet, so you always buy the right size shoes.  Now Nike, Inc. has acquired Invertex to help “create the most compelling Nike consumer experience at every touch point”.

UK low cost carrier easyJet plc will next year begin flying twice-weekly from Tel Aviv to three French cities - Lyon, Bordeaux and Nice. Tickets are already available online.