Israel Active

HP Indigo employs 3,000 in Israel with $1 billion of annual exports. It recently flew in 750 customers from 50 countries to showcase HP’s newest technologies in digital printing, all of them made in Israel. For many it was their first visit to the Jewish State.

Six-time NBA All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire has launched a line of kosher-for-Passover Israeli wines. After 3 years of talks with the Israel Wine Producers Association Stoudemire realized the opportunity when he relocated to Israel in 2016 to play for the Israeli team Hapoel Jerusalem.

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich arrived in Israel for a two-day visit. His aim was to spend one day driving around Israel in an autonomous vehicle along with Mobileye co-founder and CEO Amnon Shashua. Mobileye expects serial production of autonomous cars to start by 2021.

Multinational IT service company UST Global has announced that its recently launched Tel Aviv development and service center will handle all its cybersecurity activity.  UST Global provides end-to-end IT services for 1,000 companies and has over 14,000 employees worldwide.

There are now three Israeli distilleries producing single-malt whisky, and plans for two more.  Milk and Honey in Tel Aviv, Golan Heights in Katzrin and Pelter, also in the Golan.

The Israeli city of Haifa is to sponsor a new tech fund focusing on early stage startups that commit to establishing their operations in the city. Haifa currently hosts only 4.5% of Israeli startups. Proposals from private investors have committed up to $52 million to the fund.

Israel has cut the red tape involved in hiring non-Israeli experts. Tech companies can now get a license of up to one year for their non-Israeli contracted experts, compared to the previous 45 days a year maximum. Their spouses can now work for any Israeli employer.

Israeli companies with up to NIS 100 million turnover and/or up to 100 workers will be granted a workshop for senior management on how to improve productivity. Those companies will also get a government grant of NIS 10,000. Google will help implement changes with another NIS 10,000.

Israel’s Innovation Authority is to provide government guarantees for bank loans to Israeli startups. The loans will enable cash-strapped startups to raise funds without resorting to foreign venture capital funds or investors that often pressure the startup to relocate its activities abroad.

The Israeli government plans lowering public transport fares on inter-urban routes by 40% in 2018. Daily and monthly tickets will also be available for unrestricted travel throughout the country.